The Samvardhan Project is actively working to prevent and control forest fires in Banke and Bardiya districts. Through municipal-level awareness campaigns and hands-on firefighting skill development, the project empowers local communities to take action.
A total of 360 volunteers from 35 Community Forest User Groups have been trained in firefighting skills, helping to protect an average of 700 hectares of forest land. With the current high risk of forest fires, the project has issued timely alerts in the affected districts.
Key initiatives include:
- Orientation, training, and field demonstration campaigns on forest fire prevention and control with Forest User Group (FUG) networks, CFUG representatives, local government, and forest offices.
- A forest fire prevention and awareness jingle broadcast on three FM radio stations: Kohalpur FM and Radio Morningstar in Banke, and Radio Tiger in Bardiya.
- Development and maintenance of community-friendly fire lines along existing trails and old paths within ten community forests to protect biodiversity and natural resources.
- Establishment and training of two local fire brigades for rapid response to forest fire events in Banke and Bardiya.
The Samvardhan Project is funded by the European Union and Austrian Development Cooperation and implemented by a consortium of ADRA Nepal, ANSAB Nepal, BEE Group, and FECOFUN.
