Developing ecosystem-based solutions for managing biodiversity landscape in Bhutan

The White-Bellied Heron (WBH) is a critically endangered species and is no longer sighted in many of its traditional home ranges in the Eastern Himalayas. Bhutan’s WBH habitats located in the river basins of the Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu are degraded and threatened by on-going large hydropower-plant construction and other development activities. Building on ecosystem-based solutions, appropriate conservation approaches and measures were introduced and established through the project to restore and conserve the WBH landscape. Through increased community engagement and the establishment of ecosystem-based livelihood adaptation options, ecosystem services within the WBH landscape and the livelihoods of the local community were improved. The knowledge and experience gained from the project in ecosystem-based and community-based conservation and adaptation will be shared for application to other landscapes in Bhutan and similar areas in other Himalayan countries.

Project data

Countries: Bhutan
IKI funding: 3,687,239.00 €
Duration: 07/2021 till 06/2026
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) Bhutan
Political Partner: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) - Bhutan

Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR) (Bhutan)

Ministry of Finance - Bhutan

Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) - Bhutan
Online: https://www.rspnbhutan.org/iki/

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State of implementation/results

Project completed.
03/2026 the 2026 Annual Population and Nest Survey of White-bellied Heron (WBH) was conducted. A total of 101 surveyors participated (73 Foresters, 22 Local Conservation support group members, 6 RSPN staff). The result were shared during WBH International Conference in 03/2026
During the reporting period 2021–2025, the WBH population in Bhutan ranged from a low of 22 individuals in 2021 to a high of 29 individuals in 2025.
The preliminary habitat inventory conducted in the eastern Bhutan river basin in 10/2025 recorded two WBH. During the survey, another new bird species record to Bhutan was added: the White-eared Night Heron.
28 local government officials from the WBH landscape were trained on rural entrepreneurship, promoting rural-based enterprises in beekeeping, fisheries, and high-value crop cultivation. Support for high-value crops was a key livelihood intervention implemented across climate-smart agriculture villages. According to a local government official, more than Nu. 5 million were generated from cardamom sales this year, which has helped community members meet their household needs.
RSPN, in collaboration with local government, implemented 15 Rural Water Supply Schemes (RWSS) across the WBH landscape to improve access to safe drinking water to over 600 households in the WBH landscape. RWSS helps communities in adapting to climate change through proper management of water resources such as springshed management, water source revival and adoption of water safety plans.
As part of the joint knowledge sharing and exchange visit to the IKI Project sites, a multi-sectoral monitoring team comprising representatives from WWF-Bhutan, Tarayana Foundation, the Ministry of Finance, and RSPN conducted field visits to project locations in Dagana and Samtse Districts in 11/2025.
WBH Conservation - Education, awareness and advocacy program was conducted with 513 participants. – The project introduced drones for WBH monitoring. – The EarthRanger tool was launched in Bhutan to monitor WBH and other associated species. The daily observations by Local Conservation Support Group (LCSG) members and Foresters are now recorded through the tool, improving real-time data collection and species monitoring.
Two WBH habitat sites within IKI project landscape are now declared Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) in collaboration with the Department of Forest and Park Services. Total KBA area comprises 15.4 Sq. km – The WBH Habitat Restoration Guideline was developed and published in collaboration with Department of Forest and Park Services, Hydropower and Green Bhutan Corporation. – By project end, RSPN created 54.9 ha of plantation along the degraded WBH habitats across six districts of Bhutan.
Four nature trails and campsites with basic amenities were developed within the WBH landscape. The nature trails were packaged together with campsites and generated an average income of Nu 225,947.3 (Gross Income) per household from the 4 campsites (16 households) in 2024.
A total of 62 village homestays in six Districts were supported with a financial grant of Nu. 29,650 and several capacity building training. 33 private accommodations were certified by the Department of Tourism (DoT). – The National Village Homestay Guidelines were endorsed and published by DoT (a.storyblok.com/…).
Six Ecotourism promotional videos (including the Dzongkhag version) highlighting the ecotourism products and attractions were developed and published (www.youtube.com/…).
In collaboration with the local government, electric and solar fencing was implemented to address Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) issues at grassroots level. The initiative covered a total of 650 acres of farmland (2,6 sq. km) across 17 climate-smart agriculture communities.
Project visits were conducted in India, Thailand, and Myanmar to facilitate the exchange of knowledge.