A new publication entitled 'Flora and Fauna of Ghodaghodi Lake Area (A Pocket Guide)' has been has been developed and printed with the financial support of The Rufford Small Grants Foundation and The World Bank/Netherlands Partnership Program. This guide is written in Nepali language to make it more user-friendly to local people. 1000 copies have been printed in first edition.

On the auspicious occasion of World Wetlands Day 2007 (Feb. 2), Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN) organized a WWD celebration program among 40 participants including school students (from 3 schools), teachers and representatives of different organizations.

Training-workshop and awareness campaign conducted at Ghodaghodi Lake, Kailali, Nepal

Three wetland clubs have been formed in three schools around Ghodaghodi Lake as follows:

Although comprising only 0.09% of the global land area, Nepal possesses a disproportionately large diversity of flora and fauna at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. Nepal has had long experience in wildlife conservation through different approaches. Its conservation policy has evolved from the early emphasis on species preservation and research with strict law enforcement practices, to a more conciliatory and participatory approach.

A number of community-based participatory programs have been implemented inside, outside and in the BZs of PAs. The Buffer Zone Management Model and the Landscape Approach to biodiversity conservation are successful approaches in the context of Nepal. Both approaches emphasize people’s participation in program design and implementation.

A new website entitled “Wetland FRIENDS” has been launched. It can be accessed from www.wetlandfriends.org . This website is prepared with an aim to promote wetlands and birds conservation through information dissemination, networking and discussion.

Avifaunal survey and vegetation analysis was carried out in Jan.-Feb. 2005 and Sep.-Oct 2005 focusing on threatened and near-threatened species in Ghodaghodi Lake of Nepal. Ghodaghodi Lake (150 ha) is one of the 14 lakes of Ghodaghodi Lake Complex (2563 ha) – a Ramsar Site of Nepal. The main objective of the research was to count the population of six threatened and near-threatened bird species found in the lake area in two seasons – summer and winter. Direct field observation, key informants' survey, literature review and photography were the major tools used for data collection.