Project Detail

Promoting Community Managed Ecotourism in Jigme Dorji National Park, Gasa

The project objective is to contribute towards the resolution of conflicts between conservation and development through the promotion of ecotourism as an alternative sustainable livelihood. The project seeks to enhance people's participation in park management.The project will further develop existing physical infrastructure, build capacity within the local population and establish well-functioning institutional arrangements linking local initiatives to government, park management and the private tourism sector. The project seeks to develop Gasa Hot Springs, a national heritage site and popular local and tourist destination into a community managed ecotourism enterprise.

The proposed project is made up of two phases. Phase One seeks to establish the initial foundations, creating awareness, starting the process of institutional development and capacity building and undertaking some infrastructural improvement, to be implemented over a period of one year. Phase One seeks funding of

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Gasa Ecotourism Association

Country:

Bhutan

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 9,435.00

Project Number:

BHU/00/04

Start Date:

1/2001

End Date:

12/2002

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Gender Focus

Both women and men are encouraged to participate in the project activities.

Capacity - Building Component

Given the relatively underdeveloped nature of Gasa district ( even the district headquarter has no access to road) and the infant stage of the Gasa Ecotourism Association, the project has built in strong capacity building component whereby the expected outputs of the project can be achieved. The capacity building activities include: Planning workshop; project management training; technical backstoping by District Administration; Project visit to another successful community-managed ecotourism destination. Study tour to neighbouring

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

One of the major components of project activities is to create public awareness of Global Environment.

Notable Community Participation

The project idea emnated from the local community, who actively participated in the formulation of this project; and will be integral part of the implementation, monitoring and evaluation, with Gasa Ecotourism Association as the decision making body. Community members will be responsible for the project management, will participate in capacity building training and benefit from the project outputs.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

This project promotes sustainable livelihoods based on ecotourism enterprise and demonstrates the benefit of conserving biodiversity.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

local people.

Project Results

Policy Influence:
Mindful of the importance of environmental conservation, the Royal Government has effected a series of rigid environmental conservation policies, including the demarcation of 26% of the country's total land under protected area management. Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP) which Gasa Dzongkhag falls into, is approximately about 9% of total land area, which is the largest protected area in the country.

Gasa Ecotourism Association (GEA), a Community-based Organization (CBO) was formed, aiming at contributing towards environmental conservation initiatives within JDNP through the promotion of Ecotourism managed by the communities.

However, the project objectives could not be realized given the fact that it is located in a distant area where the local villages are scattered and have to walk for days to reach a planned destination. Therefore, coordination is very, very difficult. Also, the GEA was too dependent on the Dzongkhag Administration on every way. The GEA lacked initiativeness.

Project Sustainability:
Although the project has the opportunity of lasting for a long time due to the tourist attraction both local and international, given the fact that the facilities are available due to the developed facilities such as the existing Hot Spring, the bath, toilets, ponds, sight seeing, camping ground area, etc., there is the management problem which GEA has not been able to administer.

Replication of project activities:
Although the GEA seems weak, it would be a nice idea to replicate the project activities, incorporating the lessons learnt from this project. It would be a great idea to encourage any other stakeholders, interested in such kind of project in the near future, if any.

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