Most people think of Nepal as the home of the Himalayas, with its jaw dropping heights, glaciers and foothills. A trekker’s dream and where we guide an Annapurna Circuit trek. And let’s not forget its capital, Kathmandu, vibrant and chaotic with its rickshaws and the heady street food smells. There is, however, a lesser known area of Nepal, to the west, its grasslands, savannas and forests in the shadow of the giant peaks, known as the Terai region.
In Western Terai, you’ll find the Bardia National Park and its buffer zone, extending over a combined area of 1295 km², where endangered Asian elephants, tigers, greater one-horned rhinos, pangolins, and Hispid hares roam free.
Its origins are in the Karnali Wildlife Reserve, established in 1976. Over the years, it has grown into an important protected area, aimed at preserving a variety of ecosystems and the habitats of key species, including the Bengal tiger. The Karnali River, which runs through the park, is home to the rare Gangetic dolphin.
The park’s buffer zone contains forests and private lands, and is jointly managed by the park and local communities. Due to climate change, forest fires are a constant threat during the dry season. As a preventative measure, controlled burning of grassland by park rangers is carried out during the dry season, as is the burning of farm crop residues in the buffer zone. Unfortunately this increases carbon emissions and pollution.
The Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation (SMCRF) is focused on reducing fires in forests, grasslands, and farmlands to mitigate their harmful effects and restore natural habitats. Their approach includes education, planting and protecting 12,000 native trees, shifting grassland management from controlled spring fires to manual cutting in winter across 300 hectares, and testing composting as an alternative to burning crop residues with 50 farmers across 600 hectares.
The 16,000 annual visitors to Bardia National Park will benefit from improved air quality and new biking facilities, offering a more eco-friendly way to explore the park.
So far the project is about halfway, and is making good progress.
A total of 6,000 saplings from 11 native broad-leaved tree species are currently being cultivated in a community nursery for enrichment planting scheduled between June and August 2025. An additional 6,000 saplings will be produced in October–November 2025, to be planted between May and June 2026.
To promote eco-tourism and support conservation efforts in Bardia National Park (BNP), 25 mountain bikes have been distributed—20 to three Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) and 5 to BNP staff. These bikes are used for wildlife patrolling, fire monitoring, and anti-poaching efforts. Additionally, 25 locals received training through two full-day workshops on bike maintenance and repair.
Conservation infrastructure has been enhanced with the cleaning of fire-lines in buffer zone forests and the ongoing construction of a cycling lane. Six locally made information boards have been installed to raise awareness about wildfire prevention, discourage crop residue burning, and inform about penalties for starting fires. Awareness posters have also been developed for community outreach.
Six community awareness events were held in collaboration with the BNP’s community-based anti-poaching unit, reaching 400 households. Moreover, during the annual grass-cutting season, awareness activities focused on Hispid Hare and grassland conservation were carried out at eight park entry points.
Mont Blanc Trek believes strongly in the preservation of our natural environment, so that we can experience its wonders now and in the future.
