Congratulations to Anuradha Koirala, chief of Maiti Nepal and her hardworking team for being CNN Hero of the year 2010. MS Koirala has been nominated for the award in recognition of her outstanding work against human trafficking through Maiti Nepal. The team has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery. She will receive $100,000 to continue her work with Maiti Nepal, in addition to the $25,000 awarded to each of the top 10 CNN Heroes.
The online edition of CNN reported today, Koirala was chosen by the public in an online poll that ran for eight weeks on CNN.com.
Maiti Nepal is working since 1993 with special focus on preventing trafficking for forced prostitution, rescuing flesh trade victims and rehabilitating them. This social organisation also actively works to find justice for the victimized lot of girls and women by engaging in criminal investigation and waging legal battles against the criminals. It has highlighted the trafficking issue with its strong advocacy from the local to national and international levels. Read more here.
"Human trafficking is a crime, a heinous crime, a shame to humanity," Koirala said earlier in the evening after being introduced as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010. "I ask everyone to join me to create a society free of trafficking. We need to do this for all our daughters," the report said.
Addressing the event Koirala said, "This is another responsibility to me to work with all your support. We have to end this heinous crime. Please join hands with me to end this crime". Shre further said, "Please try to respect the youth. They are the ones who are going to build the next generation.
Watch short footage of the program
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE TO RISE 3.5 DEGREE C BY 2035
Accroding to IEA (International Energy Agency), glogal temperatures are projected rise 3.5 degrees C. over the next 25 years. This shows rise in temperature prediction which was supposed to be 2-degree increase meaning meaning that governments worldwide will have failed in their pledge to hold global temperature at a 2-degree increase.
However, there is still a little hope if governments remove subsidies for fossil fuels and increase investments in renewable energy to make them cost competitive, then the Copenhagen Accord can still be upheld, says, Fatih Birol, the chief economist for the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA).
This information came just ahead of a summit starting Nov. 29 in Cancún, Mexico, for another round of climate talks.
Now it is utmost for the governments to support renewable energy to maintain 2 degree C rise. According to IEA, to keep temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees C., the share of renewables among total energy use must reach to 38 percent by 2035, governments must end their subsidies on fossil fuels, and global demand for coal, oil, and gas must plateau before 2020. The longer the world waits to tackle the issue the more expensive it will become. The IEA estimates the price tag of meeting the Copenhagen Accord pledges at $11.6 trillion through 2030, which is a $1 trillion increase from the IEA's projection once year ago.
But the world has never been quick to adopt new energy policies, as Monitor correspondent Douglas Fox pointed out in his cover story on the future of energy.
"Energy revolutions have usually been slow, starchy, conservative affairs, not overnight explosions; and the next one promises to be, too -- never before has humanity replaced 15 trillion watts of worldwide energy production," writes Mr. Fox. "Our success in making it happen quickly enough to stave off climate change will depend every bit as much on strategic use of fossil fuels now as it does on flashy new technologies in the future.
However, there is still a little hope if governments remove subsidies for fossil fuels and increase investments in renewable energy to make them cost competitive, then the Copenhagen Accord can still be upheld, says, Fatih Birol, the chief economist for the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA).
This information came just ahead of a summit starting Nov. 29 in Cancún, Mexico, for another round of climate talks.
Now it is utmost for the governments to support renewable energy to maintain 2 degree C rise. According to IEA, to keep temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees C., the share of renewables among total energy use must reach to 38 percent by 2035, governments must end their subsidies on fossil fuels, and global demand for coal, oil, and gas must plateau before 2020. The longer the world waits to tackle the issue the more expensive it will become. The IEA estimates the price tag of meeting the Copenhagen Accord pledges at $11.6 trillion through 2030, which is a $1 trillion increase from the IEA's projection once year ago.
But the world has never been quick to adopt new energy policies, as Monitor correspondent Douglas Fox pointed out in his cover story on the future of energy.
"Energy revolutions have usually been slow, starchy, conservative affairs, not overnight explosions; and the next one promises to be, too -- never before has humanity replaced 15 trillion watts of worldwide energy production," writes Mr. Fox. "Our success in making it happen quickly enough to stave off climate change will depend every bit as much on strategic use of fossil fuels now as it does on flashy new technologies in the future.
PLANT JATROPHA - GO GREEN AND REDUCE POVERTY
Demand for energy is increasing worldwide. According to the world energy outlook, the demand is expected to increase by 1.7%. Increasing demand for fossil fuels, agriculture and fire wood for energy are causing landslide degradation in many developing countries. Land degradation has become a major threat to world food security with about 2000 million ha of soil (15% of earth's land area) have been degraded due to human activities.
Increasing population density and decline in availability of productive land due to degradation would further fuel the large-scale migration of people into the already overpopulated metropolis in Asia and Africa in future, unless urgent corrective measures are adopted to increase rural incomes and generate new perspectives in the weaker regions. Rapid population increase has lead to huge increases in the energy demand. Highly dense developing countries have to depend on other countries for fossil fuels as they don’t have sources of fossil fuels. Thus energy security has become a key issue for many countries. Increased consumption of energy and fuels has resulted in increased release of green house gases into the atmosphere which is mainly due to transport-related pollutant emissions. These have already exceeded critical levels in many overcrowded metropolis in the developing countries. The increased presence of green-house gases and the resultant climate change has dramatically increased the number of natural disasters that cost the world around $60 billion. The severest effects of the natural calamities are known to affect the poorest people in the developing countries the most.
It is in this background, production of bio- diesel from Jatropha plantations set up on degraded land become highly relevant for energy importing developing countries with large tracts of land already degraded or under the threat of degradation. There is no loss of land for food production or other purposes as only degraded land where profitable food production would not be possible are foreseen to be used. On the other hand lack of urgent protective measures would lead to expansion of the degraded areas and hence intervention have to be taken up on a priority basis.
Jatropha as an income generation
Jatropha plantation is labor intensive hence creates jobs for poor indigenous people who otherwise are forced either to migrate to dense cities or are forced to live poor lives. Nepal has huge amount of degraded and waste land in rural areas that can be utilized for jatropha plantation.
Jatropha cultivation has a huge potential to alleviate soil degradation, desertification and deforestation by greening this vast wasteland while providing employment to rural extremely poor and marginalized communities. In this back ground, Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd. in cooperation with DC Nepal and with a financial support from The Embassy of Finland is conducting program in five districts of Nepal for mass scale plantation of Jatropha curcas. Around 1500 households have actively participated in this program. To date, the company has successfully planted Jatropha in around 150 ha. area in five districts and further planning to extend these programs in other districts.
Increasing population density and decline in availability of productive land due to degradation would further fuel the large-scale migration of people into the already overpopulated metropolis in Asia and Africa in future, unless urgent corrective measures are adopted to increase rural incomes and generate new perspectives in the weaker regions. Rapid population increase has lead to huge increases in the energy demand. Highly dense developing countries have to depend on other countries for fossil fuels as they don’t have sources of fossil fuels. Thus energy security has become a key issue for many countries. Increased consumption of energy and fuels has resulted in increased release of green house gases into the atmosphere which is mainly due to transport-related pollutant emissions. These have already exceeded critical levels in many overcrowded metropolis in the developing countries. The increased presence of green-house gases and the resultant climate change has dramatically increased the number of natural disasters that cost the world around $60 billion. The severest effects of the natural calamities are known to affect the poorest people in the developing countries the most.
It is in this background, production of bio- diesel from Jatropha plantations set up on degraded land become highly relevant for energy importing developing countries with large tracts of land already degraded or under the threat of degradation. There is no loss of land for food production or other purposes as only degraded land where profitable food production would not be possible are foreseen to be used. On the other hand lack of urgent protective measures would lead to expansion of the degraded areas and hence intervention have to be taken up on a priority basis.
Jatropha as an income generation
Jatropha plantation is labor intensive hence creates jobs for poor indigenous people who otherwise are forced either to migrate to dense cities or are forced to live poor lives. Nepal has huge amount of degraded and waste land in rural areas that can be utilized for jatropha plantation.
Jatropha cultivation has a huge potential to alleviate soil degradation, desertification and deforestation by greening this vast wasteland while providing employment to rural extremely poor and marginalized communities. In this back ground, Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd. in cooperation with DC Nepal and with a financial support from The Embassy of Finland is conducting program in five districts of Nepal for mass scale plantation of Jatropha curcas. Around 1500 households have actively participated in this program. To date, the company has successfully planted Jatropha in around 150 ha. area in five districts and further planning to extend these programs in other districts.
GOOD LUCK FOR JATROPHA BIODIESEL
Although it has been already around one month i quitted my position from Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd. (EBDC), I am posting this post today. I was busy with preparation for my departure. So, i could not post on time. I worked with EBDC for around 10 months. My stay in EBDC has been very successful in collecting funds from different donor agencies. We received funds from The Embassy of Finland for three years for promotion of Jatropha plantation and Biodiesel production in Nepal and from Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) for biochemical analysis of Jatropha seeds collected from different samples along different altitudes of Nepal. The Embassy of Finland funded through a local NGO, Development Center Nepal and AEPC funded through a research consultancy, Himalayan Forum. In both the projects, I was signatory. In both the funds I was working as Project Manager. I wish good luck for my successor and all the team members involved for the betterment of Jatropha Biodiesel in Nepal. Hope Nepal will produce Jatropha Biodiesel in Nepal.
ONE ORCHID SPECIES FIRST TIME REPORTED FROM CENTRAL NEPAL
One orchid species (Spiranthes spiralis L. Chevall.) is firt time reported from Pokhara valley, Central Nepal at an altitude of around 900 m asl. Information based on this species is published in 2010 issue of international journal, Hardvard Papers in Botany. This is my first article on orchid from Nepal where i am first and corresponding author. If you are interested in this article, you can contact me for further details.
ARTICLE ON JATROPHA
An article containing basic information on biodiesel, feedstocks used for production of biodiesel in world, importance of Jatropha curcas for production of biodiesel in Nepal, distribution of jatropha in nepal with its local names, progress in production of biodiesel in Nepal and Jatropha crop extension program is published in local newspaper, "Adarshasamaj". The news paper is published from Pokhara. The article is in Nepali language aimed to dissiminated information to local communities. The article is published on 4.07.2010.
Full article can be read online in the link below:
Adarshasamaj daily news paper
Full article can be read online in the link below:
Adarshasamaj daily news paper
BEAUTIFUL SONG ON JATROPHA BY STUDENTS OF MITRATA HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL
During mass scale plantation of Jatropha in Tanahun district, three students of Mitrata Higher Secondary School sang a beautiful song on Jatropha. The song was so impressive. The song highlightes the importance of Jatropha and motivates local communities for mass plantation of Jatropha. Although the quality of video uploaded in poor, i hope you will really enjoy watching and listening this.
MASS SCALE JATROPHA PLANTATION IN TANAHUN DISTRICT COMPLETED
Mass scale plantation of Jatropha curcas, a potential feedstock for biodiesel production was successfully organized in Tanahun district on 25.06.2010. The program was coordinated by Marshyandi Multiobjective Community Development Cooperative (MMCDC) and Mitrata Higher Secondary school of Aanbu VDC, Tanahun district. All together 9 local cooperatives under MMCDC and Teachers and Students of Mitrata Higher Secondary School actively participated in a program. Jatropha was plantated in around 8 Km distance along the Prithvi Highway starting from Milanchok of Aanbu VDC-5 to Aanbu VDC-2. Around 2500 seedlings and 10Kg Jatropha seeds were planted during one day. The program was organized by Development Centre Nepal (DC Nepal) and Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd. (EBDC) with support from The Embassy of Finland. Below are some snaps of the program:
MASS SCALE JATROPHA PLANTATION GOING TO BE ORGANIZED IN TANAHUN DISTRICT
Mass scale plantation of Jatropha curcas, a potential feedstock for biodiesel production in Nepal is going to be organized in Satrasaya Phant, Aanbu VDC of Tanahun district on 25 June, 2010. The program is going to be organized by Development Center Nepal, Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd., Shree Mitrata Higher Secondary School, Marshyangdi Cooperative, and The Embassy of Finland, Kathmandu. The communities have planned to plant Jatropha in at lease 200 ropanies in one day. The program is going to be organized as a part of a program "Jatropha Crop Extension Program". The extension program is implemented in five districts: Makwanpur, Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun, and Kaski. The one day program is a part of that project which aims to plant Jatropha in at lease 600 ropanies of land in each district.
NATIONAL JATROPHA FUEL CONCERNED GROUP NEPAL FORMED
National Jatropha Fuel Concerned Group Nepal is formed recently by group of experts working in the field of Jatropha bio-fuel in Nepal. The group is coordinated by Mr. Ram Bahadur Rahut, from Palpa district and i am also one of the member of the concerned group. The main theme of this group is lobbing for formulation of Jatropha policy. The group has focused on four major points:
1) There is an urgent need of Jatropha policy for mass scale Jatropha plantation and government should immediately formulate and implement such policy.
2) Government should start blending at least 10% Jatropha bio-diesel in diesel vehicles and run this in pilot scale.
3) Government should provide subsidy to communities, different private organizations who are working for mass scale plantation of Jatropha.
4) At the national level there is a need of formulation of National Jatropha Development Committee to work and carry out research on Jatropha curcas.
1) There is an urgent need of Jatropha policy for mass scale Jatropha plantation and government should immediately formulate and implement such policy.
2) Government should start blending at least 10% Jatropha bio-diesel in diesel vehicles and run this in pilot scale.
3) Government should provide subsidy to communities, different private organizations who are working for mass scale plantation of Jatropha.
4) At the national level there is a need of formulation of National Jatropha Development Committee to work and carry out research on Jatropha curcas.
CHILD MIND BUT HEART TOUCHING
*Old one but a good reminder to all of us who work hard in office*
Can I borrow Rs 25?
A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her 5-year old son waiting for her at the door.
SON: 'Mummy, may I ask you a question?'
MUM: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the woman.
SON: 'Mummy, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the woman said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'If you must know, I make R 50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Mummy, may I please borrow R25?'
The mother was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door..
The woman sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the woman had calmed down , and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that R25.00 and she really didn't ask for money very often.The woman went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
'Are you asleep, son?' She asked.
'No Mummy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the woman. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the R25 you asked for.' The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you Mummy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The woman saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his mother.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the mother grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Mummy, I have R50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The mother was crushed. She put his arms around her little son, and she begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that R50 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
Can I borrow Rs 25?
A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her 5-year old son waiting for her at the door.
SON: 'Mummy, may I ask you a question?'
MUM: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the woman.
SON: 'Mummy, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the woman said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'If you must know, I make R 50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Mummy, may I please borrow R25?'
The mother was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door..
The woman sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the woman had calmed down , and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that R25.00 and she really didn't ask for money very often.The woman went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
'Are you asleep, son?' She asked.
'No Mummy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the woman. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the R25 you asked for.' The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you Mummy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The woman saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his mother.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the mother grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Mummy, I have R50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The mother was crushed. She put his arms around her little son, and she begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that R50 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
JATROPHA PLANTATION WORKSHOP IN CHITWAN
On the day of world environment day (5th June, 2010), we have successfully completed one day orientation program in Chitwan district. This program is under the project "Promotion of rural livelihood and clean energy through production of Jatropha biodiesel in Nepal. This program is implented by Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd. with Development Centre Nepal and funded by The Embassy of Finland, Kathmandu. Around 40 participants from different communities who are interested in mass plantation of Jatropha have actively participated in the program. There were 5 presentations from experts on different aspects of Jatropha cultivation.
Group Photo
Group Photo
EVEREST BIODIESEL WORKING FOR JATROPHA BIODIESEL PRODUCTION
These days i am affiliated with a private company, Everest Biodiesel Company Pvt. Ltd. This company targets production of Biodiesel from Jatropha curcas in Nepal. The company has about 2-3 bigha its own land in Chumlingtar, Chitwan district near by Prithvi Highway. The research site has germplasm garden with germplasms collected from different district of Nepal, India, and Malaysia. Because of lack of feedstock for production of Biodiesel, the company with a national NGO, DC Nepal are focusing on mass plantation of Jatropha curcas in different districts of Nepal. This time we have focused our program in five districts namely Makwanpur, Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun, and Kaski. However, people from other districts are also working in close contact with us. I am as a Project Manager, looking overall activities of the program.
The invader that is strangling an ecosystem
The Chitwan National Park is listed as a Unesco world heritage site and is a major tourist attraction. It has been a huge conservation success story, with nearly 100 breeding adult tigers and more than 400 rhinos roaming within its territory. But a quiet intruder has emerged as a possible threat to the park's ecosystem.
A native plant of Brazil, the weed Mikania micrantha, has already covered 20% of the national park in southern Nepal. Most of the affected areas are important to the tigers, rhinos and some endangered bird species - moist places and riversides that are conducive to the growth of the invasive creeper. "Already 50% of the rhino's habitat is covered by this alien plant," says Naresh Subedi of Nepal's National Trust for Nature Conservation, which has carried out research in the Chitwan national park. "If uncontrolled, it will spread over half of the park's entire area."
Suffocating creeper
Also known as "mile by a minute" because of its fast spreading rate, the weed can smother anything that gets in its way - from grasses to even large trees. "As a result, we have seen some trees grow old quickly and die. And grasses [that many animals eat] have simply disappeared," says Narendra Man Babu Pradhan, chief warden of the park. "We call this vegetation imposition." Conservationists say that the impacts upon the park's animals. "For example, there is this tree that bears fruits called 'rhino's apple' that is killed once it is covered by the [weed]. This means a food source for the rhinos becomes scarce," explains Mr Subedi. Mr Pradhan says that different types of grasses, which form an essential part of the diets of small animals such as deer, are also disappearing from areas of the park invaded by the weed. "Small animals need good quality food and these grasses are very important for them." And if the deer are affected, this is likely to have a knock-on effect on the tigers' diet. "There is a possibility that the food chain in the park is adversely affected," Mr Pradhan says. Dr Richard Kock, a scientist with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) says that the weed reduces "suitable cover" for the tiger. He is trying to help park officials to tackle the problem. "It forces animals to forage more widely and outside of the park in farmland. This increases conflict and the risk of death from poaching or revenge attacks [by farmers whose crops are eaten up by park animals]," he says.
Spreading invasion
Park officials say they have seen some rhinos that have begun to eat Mikania micrantha because they have "no choice". "As megaherbivores, they need plenty of food, so we can imagine why some of them have begun to eat this plant," says Mr Pradhan. And the droppings of these rhinos, and other herbivores that eat the plant, will spread the invasive weed. The park officials have started to look into how Mikania micrantha is affecting the rhinos. They have attached radio collars to two rhinos and they will track six more in the same way in order to monitor their foraging behaviour. They hope to have the results from this study within two years, but the invasive plant is likely to have spread far more by then. It has already crept out of the park and is advancing towards the west. Latest findings show it has reached the Dang area in western Nepal. Conservationists fear that, at this rate, it will soon reach the nearby Bardiya National Park - another protected area that has successfully conserved several endangered species, including tigers.
Out of control
Scientists say that the plant was first seen in the eastern part of Nepal, where it did some ecological damage to the Koshi Tappu wildlife reserve - a bird watcher's paradise. "The weed covered areas near wetlands, grassland and open places in the forest. [It has caused a reduction in] the number of endangered swamp francolin birds in Koshi Tappu," says Hem Sagar Baral, a noted ornithologist in Nepal. "The creeper alters the vegetation to such an extent that birds do not get the right natural setting for nesting and laying eggs. "Species like the reed warbler and some thrushes are also declining there." Although there is no clear record, conservationists say the plant probably came from India, where it was said to have been imported during World War II. "It is believed that it was brought into India to camouflage army camps during the war," says Mr Subedi. Conservationists say that some national parks in the north-eastern part of India have also seen the spread of this invasive creeper.
Hands-on effort
Authorities have tried uprooting the plant from some sections of the Chitwan national park. Even Prime Minister Madhab Kumar Nepal rolled up his sleeves when he recently joined a "weeding" effort. But this measure has so far proved unsuccessful because the plant has already covered wide areas.
It continues to regrow, stimulated to spread by the movement of people and animals within the park. Authorities do not want to use chemical or biological measures, which they fear could harm the park's ecosystem. So officials are left somewhat helpless. Mikania micrantha continues to grip this valuable natural site, stifling its vegetation and threatening its wildlife.
Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8576646.stm
A native plant of Brazil, the weed Mikania micrantha, has already covered 20% of the national park in southern Nepal. Most of the affected areas are important to the tigers, rhinos and some endangered bird species - moist places and riversides that are conducive to the growth of the invasive creeper. "Already 50% of the rhino's habitat is covered by this alien plant," says Naresh Subedi of Nepal's National Trust for Nature Conservation, which has carried out research in the Chitwan national park. "If uncontrolled, it will spread over half of the park's entire area."
Suffocating creeper
Also known as "mile by a minute" because of its fast spreading rate, the weed can smother anything that gets in its way - from grasses to even large trees. "As a result, we have seen some trees grow old quickly and die. And grasses [that many animals eat] have simply disappeared," says Narendra Man Babu Pradhan, chief warden of the park. "We call this vegetation imposition." Conservationists say that the impacts upon the park's animals. "For example, there is this tree that bears fruits called 'rhino's apple' that is killed once it is covered by the [weed]. This means a food source for the rhinos becomes scarce," explains Mr Subedi. Mr Pradhan says that different types of grasses, which form an essential part of the diets of small animals such as deer, are also disappearing from areas of the park invaded by the weed. "Small animals need good quality food and these grasses are very important for them." And if the deer are affected, this is likely to have a knock-on effect on the tigers' diet. "There is a possibility that the food chain in the park is adversely affected," Mr Pradhan says. Dr Richard Kock, a scientist with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) says that the weed reduces "suitable cover" for the tiger. He is trying to help park officials to tackle the problem. "It forces animals to forage more widely and outside of the park in farmland. This increases conflict and the risk of death from poaching or revenge attacks [by farmers whose crops are eaten up by park animals]," he says.
Spreading invasion
Park officials say they have seen some rhinos that have begun to eat Mikania micrantha because they have "no choice". "As megaherbivores, they need plenty of food, so we can imagine why some of them have begun to eat this plant," says Mr Pradhan. And the droppings of these rhinos, and other herbivores that eat the plant, will spread the invasive weed. The park officials have started to look into how Mikania micrantha is affecting the rhinos. They have attached radio collars to two rhinos and they will track six more in the same way in order to monitor their foraging behaviour. They hope to have the results from this study within two years, but the invasive plant is likely to have spread far more by then. It has already crept out of the park and is advancing towards the west. Latest findings show it has reached the Dang area in western Nepal. Conservationists fear that, at this rate, it will soon reach the nearby Bardiya National Park - another protected area that has successfully conserved several endangered species, including tigers.
Out of control
Scientists say that the plant was first seen in the eastern part of Nepal, where it did some ecological damage to the Koshi Tappu wildlife reserve - a bird watcher's paradise. "The weed covered areas near wetlands, grassland and open places in the forest. [It has caused a reduction in] the number of endangered swamp francolin birds in Koshi Tappu," says Hem Sagar Baral, a noted ornithologist in Nepal. "The creeper alters the vegetation to such an extent that birds do not get the right natural setting for nesting and laying eggs. "Species like the reed warbler and some thrushes are also declining there." Although there is no clear record, conservationists say the plant probably came from India, where it was said to have been imported during World War II. "It is believed that it was brought into India to camouflage army camps during the war," says Mr Subedi. Conservationists say that some national parks in the north-eastern part of India have also seen the spread of this invasive creeper.
Hands-on effort
Authorities have tried uprooting the plant from some sections of the Chitwan national park. Even Prime Minister Madhab Kumar Nepal rolled up his sleeves when he recently joined a "weeding" effort. But this measure has so far proved unsuccessful because the plant has already covered wide areas.
It continues to regrow, stimulated to spread by the movement of people and animals within the park. Authorities do not want to use chemical or biological measures, which they fear could harm the park's ecosystem. So officials are left somewhat helpless. Mikania micrantha continues to grip this valuable natural site, stifling its vegetation and threatening its wildlife.
Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8576646.stm
Ethnoveterinary use of plants
One article is recently published in an international journal, Journal of Medicinal Plant Research where i am the first and corresponding author. Below is the abstract of an article.
If you are interested for full paper you can contact me.
Abstract
People in different parts of the world depend on plants and plant parts to fulfill their daily needs and have developed unique knowledge of their utilization. There have been very few studies on the ethnobotanical studies of the plants that are used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Nepal. This study aims to document information about ethnobotanical information of plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Sardikhola VDC of Kaski district. Information on the use of plants were collected in April-May 2009 by interviewing key informants using a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. Altogether 18 plant species belonging to 17 families were recorded as being used for treatment of different livestock diseases. This traditional knowledge is declining as the younger
generation shows less interest in using plants. Further research in this field is necessary as this finding may help to counter the needs of people during a scarcity.
If you are interested for full paper you can contact me.
Abstract
People in different parts of the world depend on plants and plant parts to fulfill their daily needs and have developed unique knowledge of their utilization. There have been very few studies on the ethnobotanical studies of the plants that are used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Nepal. This study aims to document information about ethnobotanical information of plants used for the treatment of livestock diseases in Sardikhola VDC of Kaski district. Information on the use of plants were collected in April-May 2009 by interviewing key informants using a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. Altogether 18 plant species belonging to 17 families were recorded as being used for treatment of different livestock diseases. This traditional knowledge is declining as the younger
generation shows less interest in using plants. Further research in this field is necessary as this finding may help to counter the needs of people during a scarcity.
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