Mai Valley Forest Landscape Project

The Mai Valley Forest Landscape, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) located in Ilam District in north-eastern Nepal, is home for 375 bird species and rich biodiversity, including several threatened species. Although the landscape lies outside Nepal’s protected area, it plays an important role in biodiversity conservation. However, the area is increasingly facing threats from habitat degradation, unsustainable resource use, and livelihood pressures on local communities. To address these challenges, Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) has initiated a project that integrates biodiversity conservation with sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities.

The project aims to promote sustainable cultivation, value addition, and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), particularly cardamom, on private and abandoned lands. Three community-based farmer groups will be established to improve production, processing, and market access. Through training, capacity building, and improved technologies such as cardamom drying machines, the initiative aims to increase local income while promoting environmentally sustainable practices. The project will also promote the branding of locally produced “Wood Snipe” cardamom to enhance market value and strengthen awareness of conservation.

In addition, the project will establish sustainable finance and benefit-sharing mechanisms that link community livelihoods with conservation outcomes. A portion of the income generated from NTFP enterprises will support a “Cardamom and Bird Conservation” fund, which will contribute to forest management, bird monitoring, habitat restoration, and community awareness activities. By strengthening community ownership and establishing long-term financial support for conservation, the initiative aims to create a replicable model for conserving biodiversity while improving local livelihoods in landscapes outside protected areas.