This post is also HERE at Facebook if you wish to comment. There are also some extra images accompanying the story.
A really good program here in Bardia yesterday. There's a section of Nepal's main highway, over ten kilometres plus which cuts through the National Park. Those of you who follow these blogs will know a tiger was killed by a speeding bus a few weeks ago. Another problem is people throwing rubbish from moving vehicles.
Yesterday a team of Park staff, Cbapu Bardia (Community Based Anti Poaching Unit) and the Army (along with one Kiwi, yes, I sacrificed following rugby scores back in New Zealand) combined for a three way operation where a burn off had the effect of creating more visibility for traffic to make sure they can see (and not hit) roadside wildlife, forming a fire line (forest fires are a real issues as the roasting pre-monsoon months approach) and burning the rubbish we collected while on foot through the section.
It was a really satisfying day and hats off to Chief Warden Ramesh Thapa (who was in there doing his bit), CBAPU coordinator Hemanta Acharya and everyone involved. At the end of day while on the back of a motorbike going home I took great joy in the rubbish free section of road and a chital (spotted deer) grazing peacefully as we went past. Everyone of us on the planet has to examine our environmental footprint and in a time when debate rages and communities globally are feeling disenfranchised (read shooting of poachers where many innocents are dying as one) then this combined effort of communities coming together just shows what is possible...
Yesterday a team of Park staff, Cbapu Bardia (Community Based Anti Poaching Unit) and the Army (along with one Kiwi, yes, I sacrificed following rugby scores back in New Zealand) combined for a three way operation where a burn off had the effect of creating more visibility for traffic to make sure they can see (and not hit) roadside wildlife, forming a fire line (forest fires are a real issues as the roasting pre-monsoon months approach) and burning the rubbish we collected while on foot through the section.
It was a really satisfying day and hats off to Chief Warden Ramesh Thapa (who was in there doing his bit), CBAPU coordinator Hemanta Acharya and everyone involved. At the end of day while on the back of a motorbike going home I took great joy in the rubbish free section of road and a chital (spotted deer) grazing peacefully as we went past. Everyone of us on the planet has to examine our environmental footprint and in a time when debate rages and communities globally are feeling disenfranchised (read shooting of poachers where many innocents are dying as one) then this combined effort of communities coming together just shows what is possible...
