Nepal’s conservation areas provide an important interface between biodiversity conservation and the livelihood and development priorities of local communities.
Improving conservation governance requires looking at how decisions are made, whose voices are heard, how rights and responsibilities are recognized, and how benefits are fairly and equitably shared. Meaningful participation, collaboration among different actors and opportunities to learn from experiences and practices are cornerstones of equitable governance.
Recognizing this, the Scaling up Equitable Governance in Area-based Conservation (SEGA) project works to strengthen equitable governance in Nepal’s protected and conserved areas. Following RECOFTC’s first community of practice event held in Chitwan in January 2026, ‘Echoes for equity II’ will bring together conservation actors from across Nepal to continue learning and dialogue on equitable governance. We are organizing the event in collaboration with the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC).
The two-day community of practice (CoP) event will provide space for community representatives, local governments, government institutions, conservation organizations, researchers and other stakeholders to share experiences, discuss governance challenges and explore opportunities for collective action.
Through peer learning, research sharing, open dialogue and collaborative exercises, participants will examine what is working, what needs to change and how different actors can contribute to more equitable conservation governance.
Objectives
The CoP event aims to:
- develop a common understanding of equitable governance, effective conservation management, relevant policies and national and global conservation contexts
- explore successes, common challenges, lessons learned and opportunities related to equitable governance through an inclusive peer-to-peer learning platform
- co-create solutions for improving equitable governance in Nepal's conservation areas through joint commitment
Participants
- The CoP event will bring together conservation actors and stakeholders from five conservation areas across Nepal – Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Annapurna Conservation Area, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Manaslu Conservation Area and Api Nampa Conservation Area. Specifically, it will gather representatives from:
- community Area Management Committees (CAMCs)
- local government actors
- Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)
- academic and research institutions
- conservation and development organizations
- media, consultancy and other relevant stakeholder groups
Themes
Theme 1: Conceptual understanding of equitable governance
Participants will connect the concept of equitable governance and its principles with practical experiences and SAGE findings from conservation areas.
Theme 2: Legal policies, provisions and practice
Participants will examine relevant national and global policy provisions and how principles of recognition, participation, procedure and distribution are reflected in conservation governance practice.
Theme 3: Learning from governance practice
Participants will share governance journeys, including successes, challenges and lessons learned from community-led conservation in Nepal, including research on Indigenous and traditional knowledge and technologies related to biodiversity conservation.
Theme 4: Committing to a better future
Participants will co-create practical solutions and collective strategies for equitable conservation governance. They will identify future pathways, develop a one-year action plan and make a joint commitment towards improved conservation and social outcomes.
Format
The CoP event will use a participatory and inclusive peer-to-peer learning approach. Presentations, interactive exercises, group discussions, open dialogue, research sharing, poster presentations and gallery walks will provide opportunities for participants to share knowledge and experiences. The event is designed to move beyond information sharing and support participants in jointly identifying practical solutions, strengthening relationships and translate learning into collective action.
Expected outputs
The CoP event is expected to lead to knowledge and documentation products that capture the experiences, discussions and commitments emerging from the event. These include:
- proceedings report documenting the key discussions, experiences and recommendations from the two-day event, capturing diverse perspectives on equitable governance of Nepal’s conservation areas
- issue papers highlighting key governance and equity issues emerging from the discussions
- selected case studies documenting successful governance practices, innovative approaches, community experiences from Nepal’s conservation areas, highlighting how different actors are addressing governance and equity challenges and what can be learned from these experiences
- contributions to a one-year joint action plan and commitment, capturing the priorities, strategies and commitments identified by participants to advance equitable governance and improve conservation and social outcomes over the following year