Story | 18 Oct, 2016
National workshop on Eco-Disaster Risk Reduction for improving community resilience
Rural roads serve as lifelines for many communities in Nepal, but they also cause environmental degradation in the form of erosion, shallow landslides, and river sedimentation. As a solution, “eco-safe roads,” or those that incorporate soil bio-engineering techniques to minimise negative…
Story | 11 Oct, 2016
Photo gallery: Chitwan National Park – home of the one-horned rhino
Discover the beauty of Chitwan National Park in Nepal through stunning photos from a recent IUCN World Heritage mission! IUCN experts report on the park’s state of conservation and make a set of recommendations to secure its long-term protection.
Story | 04 Sep, 2016
Meet the Heritage Hero voted by the public – Bibhuti Lahkar
The public has spoken, choosing Bibhuti Lahkar as the people’s choice Heritage Hero, for his dedication to the conservation of India’s Manas Wildlife Sanctuary. The result of last week’s online voting was announced at the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawai‘i, USA.
Story | 29 Jul, 2016
Fierce yet fragile: Coexistence in a changing world
Tigers once inhabited vast parts of Asia, from Indonesia to the Central Asian states; they have now vanished from over 90% of their former range. On International Tiger Day we look at how IUCN's tiger programme is helping humans and tigers coexist – and making sure these magnificent predators…
Story | 28 Jul, 2016
Understanding the impact of local dynamics on ecosystem services reward schemes
Shared agreements to manage ecosystem services are becoming commonplace. However, the ongoing political economy of transacting communities is dynamic and, by definition, is subject to change and affects the sustainability of ecosystem management initiatives.
Story | 30 May, 2016
IUCN recommends five World Heritage listings
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, recommends World Heritage status for five sites nominated for their outstanding natural values. The advisory body on natural World Heritage, IUCN also recommends action against major threats in listed natural sites and danger-listing for two…
Story | 04 Mar, 2016
Getting SMART about tackling wildlife crime on the frontline.
With illegal wildlife trade being a core issue of the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016, the role and value of SMART conservation software is pertinent. Marking World Wildlife Day March 3 2016, we travel to the Okapi Faunal Reserve in Democratic Republic of Congo to learn more about…
Story | 15 Nov, 2015
Report calls on aluminium industry to respect indigenous peoples' rights
Geneva, Switzerland, 16 November 2015 – While global demand for the world’s most popular metal – aluminium – continues to rise, it is critical that the aluminium industry address its environmental and social impacts, particularly in indigenous peoples’ territories, according to new report…
Story | 31 Jul, 2015
UNESCO’s Fact Finding Mission to the Chitwan National Park and the World Natural Heritage Site
The Government of Nepal has been planning for several infrastructure development projects in the lowland Terai of Nepal. Among several projects, the East-West Electric Railway and Postal Road projects are reported to have been designed to pass through the Chitwan National Park (CNP), which is –…
Story | 07 Jul, 2015
Kishore Rao’s 40-year journey through protected areas and World Heritage
As the 39th World Heritage Committee concludes, Kishore Rao steps down for retirement after having headed UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre for over four years. With a background in nature conservation, he has worked on the World Heritage Convention from the perspectives of its secretariat, its…