SGP grantee partner Dolphin Conservation Centre is the receiver of this Award of  Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. 

Dolphin Conservation Centre has implemented the GEF SGP funded project NEP/SGP/OP4/CORE/Y2/09/01. 

The receiver of this Award is Mr. Madhukar KC of SGP grantee partner Nepal Environmental Watch Initiatives, that have implemented the GEF SGP funded project NEP/SGP/OP5/Y1/CORE/CC/12/07 . 

2010-11 Sasakawa Prize winners bring Forest Management and Sustainable Development to Rural Communities in Latin America and Asia

Nairobi (Kenya), 23 February 2011 - Two projects conserving forests and promoting sustainable development in remote rural communities of Latin America and Asia are the laureates of the 2010-11 UNEP Sasakawa Prize, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

The Asociación Forestal Integral San Andrés, Petén (AFISAP) in Guatemala and the Manahari Development Institute in Nepal (MDI-Nepal) are the co-winners of this year's award around the theme "Forests for People, Forests for Green Growth" in support of the 2010-11 International Year of the Forests.

The theme highlights the central role of forests in the pursuit of a global Green Economy as key economic resources whose real value has all too often been excluded in national accounts of profit and loss. Estimates from The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) indicate that deforestation and forest degradation are likely costing the global economy between US$2.5 and US$4.5 trillion a year, more than the losses of the recent and ongoing financial crisis.

Both co-winners met a majority of the criteria outlined by the theme. Specifically:

• Promoting the conservation and sustainable management of forests;
• Contributing to a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation;
• Maintaining forest ecosystems to improve resilience to climate change;
• Supporting pro-poor development, especially among forest-dependent communities;
• Conserving biodiversity and helping secure ecosystem services. 

Manahari Development Institute (MDI) has been awarded with US $ 2,000 as a research grant from UNEP Eco-peace Leadership Center (EPLC) in partnership with Kwangon National University of South Korea to conduct research work on "Conservation Agriculture in Sloping Uplands affected through Shifting Cultivation Practices". This grant will be used for developing a sustainable farming system in the sloping hills. The research work will be carried out in Chuwarpakha village in Handikhola VDC-7 of Makawanpur district in the central region of Nepal.

Centre for Public Health Environmental Development (CEPHED), NGO from Nepal was awarded during COP5 meeting at Geneva, for the outstanding activity in the area of POPs, particularly for taking initiative towards minimizing the use of PCB contaminated transformer oil through research, making available information, awareness raising programs, arrangement of workshops, advocacy campaigns.

SGP grantees Women Environment Protection Committee (WEPCO), a community based organization run by volunteer household women has become winner of the 2011 SEED Gender Equality Award.

The "Solid Waste Management and Community Mobilization Program" is a SGP funded waste collection and recycling initiative of over 1,000 households and businesses and is run by a women's environment committee and supported by a local municipality. Under the initiative, landfill waste is reduced via recycling and biogas plants are fueled by organic waste on which training is provided. A savings and credit cooperative has also been established to mobilize loans to 150 female members.

Mr Shrestha won the award for his desing of metal biogas digester which produces biogas from waste and his research on biogas.

Mr.Ram Charitra Sah, Executive Director of CEPHED has been also honoured with the a certificate of appreciation for his contribution toward protecting the Grill Workers' Health and built their capacity to address the PCB issues in their grill workshops made though ongoing  UNDP GEF SGP Nepal funded POPs program under implementing by CEPHED. Honorable Minister Mr. Gokarna Bista, Ministry of Energy, Nepal has honoured Mr. Sah on the occasion of celebrating 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Grill Traders Association of Nepal on last May 10, 2011.

WEPCO won the award for their community based solid waste management practices which they have been involved in last 20 years.

Women Environment Preservation Committee (WEPCO)- an NGO led by woman members working in solid waste management in Urban Area won this year's Women Environment Conservation Award. The NGO was honored by Rt hon Prime Minister Mr Madhav Kumar Nepal during World Environment Day. SGP in 2005 supported WEPCO to develop model for biogas plant from household waste and reduce the municipal waste at source (from households) with active participation of women. Since then, they are providing technical supporting to construct larger institutional biogas plants (upto 35 cum) in School hostels and Buddhist Monasteries, so that these hostels and monasteries can also manage their kitchen waste as well as reducing their energy demand. This year, "Gift to Asia" has supported WEPCO to aware and encourage Hotels and Housing Colonies to adapt biogas technology from kitchen and municipal waste.

Manahari Development Institute (MDI) has been awarded with US $ 1,500 as a research grant from UNEP Eco-peace Leadership Center (EPLC) in partnership with Kwangon National University of South Korea to conduct research work on "Conservation Agriculture in Sloping Uplands affected through Shifting Cultivation Practices". This grant will be used for developing a sustainable farming system in the sloping hills. The research work will be carried out in Chuwarpkha village in Handikhola VDC-7 of Makawanpur district in the central region of Nepal.

Won by Ananda Chaudhary, Vulture Conservation Office: Mr Chaudhary's Master's degree in Zoology included a thesis on ground beetles and resulted in the first record of the genus Platydrus from Nepal. His professional career in conservation started in 2005 when he joined the Terai Arc Landscape Program. On joining Bird Conservation Nepal in 2008, the vulture conservation programme has expanded commendably under his leadership. In March 2010 he won the Future Conservation Award from the conservation Leadership Programme and was the first Nepali to win the award in its 25-years history. He was instrumental in developing the concept of vulture safe zone which has resulted in a paradigm shift in vulture conservation, and is in the process of being replicated internationally.

As the first 'community-managed vulture restaurant in the world', Jatayu Restaurant Management Committee has become a success story to be replicated in many other sites. While the numbers of vultures have plummeted alarmingly in the past decade in South Asia, this committee has not only halted the decline but also increased the vulture population locally. An 'old cows' home is maintained by the committee and cows that die are left out for the vultures to feed on. The average number of vulture arriving per feed has increased from 82 in 2002 to 116 in 2009. This model is being replicated in other sites in Nepal and in India and Pakistan as well. The community has co-funded many conservation efforts as they have benefited immensely. The Jatayu Restaurant attracts tourists and researchers alike who are provided with home stays, and local nature guides also get an opportunity to earn an income. The basis of the project was used for developing the in-situ conservation plan of Government of Nepal's Vulture Conservation Action Plan for Nepal 2009-2013. Jatayu Restaurant Management Committee, Repandehi (Replicated through CEPF)

The committee was established to conserve critically endangered species of vultures with the participation of the local people. Their greatest achievement has been to have changed people's perception towards vultures from a sign of bad luck to that of an important creature helping us keep our environment clean. There has been an increment of vulture nests from 17 in 2008 to 25 in 2010. Awareness level regarding the ecological importance of vulture and factors posing threat to their population has increased among the local people, especially among students and those of veterinary professions. The local people have benefited with various livelihood and capacity enhancement trainings. In a short period of time, the restaurant has been able to attract the attention and participation of local people in conservation and has led to some important achievements in vulture conservation.

Won by Mr Hirulal Dangaura, Kailali: He represents third generation in conservation initiatives undertaken by SGP in Kailali. Started as a President School eco club and Dolphin conservation club formed by Dolphin Conservation Centre (one of the SGP grantees), he has now joined Bird Conservation Nepal (another SGP grantee engaged in Vulture Conservation) to conserve the vultures. He was also actively involved in collecting catapult- in an endevour to conserve birds and leaping dolphin. Mr Dangaura's passion for conservation was kindled in his early years itself when he became the president of his school Eco club. As president of the regional Eco-club for three year and the president of the Dolphin Club for eight years, he gathered much experience in the field of Conservation. He has led the mobilization of students for conservation activities and distribution of outreach materials. He has contributed to vulture conservation through his efforts to promote Meloxicam to reduce the usage of the veterinarian drug Diclofenac which has been gravely affecting the population of vultures. Mr Dangaura's catapult /slingshot collection programme for bird conservation has appeared often in local newspapers for its effectiveness. For the last two years, he has been mobilizing the youth from many VDCs in his district to produce street plays to spread awareness regarding biodiversity conservation. He has also brought together youth clubs and women societies for the cause of conservation through activities like roadside plantation of saplings.

Government of Nepal awarded Namsaling Community Development Centre (NCDC) with Mountain Development Award-2009. for their outstanding contribution in Mountain development and disaster risk reduction.

Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has awarded Mr Madhukar KC, team leader, Matribhumi Chulho Project, for developing air supply disc. He used the air supply disc as a burner in cooking stove, which improved the efficiency of stove and named it as Matribhumi Stove. With this air supply disc, just a single stick of firewood could be used to cook food.

Mr. Vijaya Shrestha, Team Leader of Dolphin Conservation Centre, an SGP grantee, along with Environment Preservation Forum jointly won the prestigious Environment Conservation Award 2009 of Nepal.

Won by Manahari Development Institute (MDI): The project entitled 'Mitigation of the Effects of the Carbon dioxide and other Greenhouse Gases by Controlling Slash and- Burn Farming', funded by UNDP/ Global Environment Facility/Small Grants Programme has won the 'Ryutaro Hashimoto Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development (APFED) Award 2008'-a GOLD (1st) prize in recognition of the outstanding contribution done in promoting environmental management and sustainable development. Mr. Masayoshi Namiki, Vice Minister of the Environment, Government of Japan awarded the prize to Mr. Khop Narayan Shrestha,

Coordinator of the MDI-Nepal in the 4th Plenary Meeting (award giving ceremony) at Davao, Phillipines on 25 July 2008. This gold APFED Award established by the Asia Pacific Forum for Environment and Development in memory of former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto carries a purse of US$20,000. It also consists of 2 silver prizes of US$7,000 each and 5 incentive prizes of US$ 2,000 each.

Mr Vijaya Shrestha, Team Leader of the Dolphin Conservation Centre, an SGP grantee, received the prize in Conservation of Forest, Species and freshwater.

During the Kailali Festival, District festival organised by Kailali Chambers of Commerce, Prime Minister Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba recognized Mr. Bhoj Raj Shrestha, President of Dolphin Conservation Centre, an SGP grantee for his outstanding contribution in conserving biodiversity especially forest habitat, birds and dolphin.

Minister Ms Urmila Arayal recognized SGP National Coordinator Mr Gopal Raj Sherchan, on the occasion of International Youth Day 2006 for his outstanding contribution in environment conservation.

Prime Minister Mr Sher Bahadur Deuda presenting the award to Gopal Raj Sherchan, NC Nepal for the continuous contribution for biodiveristy conservation.