Environmental and Social Management Plan for Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary

The 2021 ESMP for the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) outlines mitigation strategies for six key activities under the Bhutan for Life (BFL) project. These activities include ecotourism infrastructure development, improvement of salt licks and water holes, building maintenance, alpine meadow improvement, bio-engineering at Dungtsho lake, and waste management near a RAMSAR site. The plan emphasizes compliance with both Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), particularly where WWF standards are more extensive regarding non-title holders and community consultation. It details specific environmental risks—such as habitat disturbance and increased poaching—and social risks, including worker health and safety and community conflicts, providing a structured monitoring framework and a total budget of USD 185,500 for activities and mitigation.

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is a 14-year initiative designed to maintain Bhutan's carbon neutrality by increasing forest cover and enhancing the socio-economic wellbeing of communities through climate-informed natural resources management.
• In cases of discrepancy between national laws and project standards, the WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP) prevail, specifically regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary covers 1534.24 square kilometers across Trashiyangtse, Lhuntse, and Mongar, featuring an elevation range from 1390 to 6400 meters and including a Ramsar-recognized flood plain.
• The sanctuary supports significant biodiversity, including 966 plant species and 52 mammal species, 21.15% of which are listed on the IUCN Red List or Schedule I of the FNCA 1995.
• Planned 2021 activities include ecotourism infrastructure (USD 63,000), building maintenance (USD 68,000), bio-engineering at Dungtsho lake (USD 15,000), alpine meadow improvement (USD 5,000), salt lick and water hole improvement (USD 3,000), and a RAMSAR site waste management program (USD 4,500).
• Ecotourism development from Aja to Ugyendrag via Sheridzong aims to conserve cultural heritage and boost local livelihoods through the sale of products and services like porterage and guiding.
• The improvement of salt licks and water holes in the Serzhong Range is intended to document and conserve wildlife, but carries a risk of increasing poaching, which will be mitigated by constructing sites in areas where poaching is limited and increasing patrolling.
• Bio-engineering works at Dungtsho lake focus on reviving a socially revered lake that has been drying since 2010, with a requirement to maintain 20% to 30% of existing natural habitats for aquatic life.
• The ESMP mandates strict Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards, including the provision of personal safety equipment (helmets, gloves, boots, reflective vests), first aid boxes within 200m of any workplace, and specific guidelines for workers' accommodation.
• Implementation and monitoring are managed by the BFL focal person in BWS, with a separate budget of USD 851 allocated specifically for the implementation of ESMP mitigation measures.

APA

WWF International (2021). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/mgopjnjdj_BWS_ESMP_updated.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. 2021. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/mgopjnjdj_BWS_ESMP_updated.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary |date=2021 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/mgopjnjdj_BWS_ESMP_updated.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2021environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2021}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/mgopjnjdj_BWS_ESMP_updated.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }