UKALI aims at strengthening community-led biodiversity conservation in the upper Karnali Landscape of Nepal, through scientific research, education and outreach, capacity building, and livelihood diversification aiming at building resilient and self-reliant mountain communities.
The Eco-club formation has a long-term vision of supporting conservation education and leadership development for school children. The initiative engages students in extracurricular activities, skill development training, networking and knowledge exchange, and mentoring to raise their interest in nature conservation.
Rinzin Phunjok Lama, founder of the Upper Karnali Landscape Initiative (UKALI) and a dedicated Conservation Biologist at Third Pole Conservancy, has been selected as one of the esteemed winners of the Future For Nature Award 2024 for his outstanding efforts in safeguarding snow leopards in Nepal’s remote mountains. Rinzin’s innovative community-led program empowers local communities, mitigates human-wildlife conflicts, and strengthens cultural connections with nature.
The Upper Karnali Landscape is the largest continuous non-protected area in Nepal, covering an area of about 6000 sq. km. It is remote and rich in biodiversity, providing an important basis for the rural economy. Agriculture is subsistence-based and supported by livestock husbandry since only 1% of the total land is suitable for farming. As a result, local communities are highly dependent on biodiversity for their livelihoods and income generation.
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