Strengthen local governance in Pokhara-Lekhnath Metropolis Metropolis to restore Dipang Lake (Lake Cluster Pokhara Valley Ramsar) for the Climate Resilient Lake Environment Biodiversity, tourism & Green Livelihoods in Nepal.

Project Summary
Besides, Lake Cluster Pokhara Valley (LCPV) is under tremendous pressure and degrading. The impact of climate change is already severe. Our wetlands administration is overlapped within policies/programs, so unclarity prevails. As a result, investment in wetlands is least allocated. Such an extent seems to grow higher because Nepal is focusing to readjust federal governance that may exhaust most of the state budget at a cost of curtailing investment in wetlands. Yet, the central government is taking responsibility for the Ramsar sites, and there is no clarity on how much will continue under the federal settings. This has increased uncertainty and the risk of degradation of LCPV.
Strengthening ‘wetlands governance’ in ‘metropolis’ is urgent to safeguard LCPV/Site to continue benefits from sustainable biodiversity & tourism at this moment whence ‘metropolis’ is exploring assistance to mainstream and willing for both efforts & investment to stop degradation and climate adaptation in the cluster. Therefore, this initiative is to enhance the capacity of ‘metropolis’ and communities to implement the Plan and enable them to collaborate for climate-resilient biodiversity, tourism, and green livelihoods. Proposal fully complies with National Wetlands Policy (2012); National Water Resource Strategy (2002); Nepal Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (2014) guided by 4th Ramsar Strategic Plan 2016-2021 (Goals 1-3), World Lake Vision 2005 (Targets 1-7) and Aichi Targets (1, 2, 4, 5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15)

Objective
i. To build capacity on climate-resilient Ramsar management for Metropolis’ personnel and communities to mainstream lake governance & leverage budgets for the sustainability of Dipang,
ii. To build the capacity of communities for cooperative management of Dipang to restore lake condition and control of invasive species in view of climate change,
iii. To assist communities for the climate-friendly green economy from tourism and natural resource-based one small enterprise through cooperative, and
iv. To prepare a database on biodiversity, socio-economy, and hydrology for monitoring & program scale-up and share learning practices.

Outputs
 Training module for local government personnel-1; 20 personnel trained; Training module for communities-1
 50 communities trained; Cooperative in place; Climate vulnerability assessment report
 4-speed breaker constructed; Lake extended (10ha); Dam/1 regulator; 3 water source improved; 4 ha Bamboo plantation
 2 business plans (TBP & GEBP); 5 signposts installed; Support 1 picnic spot;2 wooden boats provided; Support 2 tea shops; Fingerlings/fishing net to the cooperative;10 HHs for dairy;10 HHs for poultry; Fruit 10 ha; Profile of Dipang; Lesson document-1 & sharing

Outcome
 Build-up capacity on climate-resilient Ramsar management for Metropolis’ personnel and communities to mainstream lake governance & leverage budgets for the sustainability of Dipang,
 Build-up capacity of communities for cooperative management of Dipang to restore lake condition and control of invasive species in view of climate change,
 Assist communities for the climate-friendly green economy from tourism and natural resource-based one small enterprise through cooperative, and
 Prepared database on biodiversity, socio-economy, and hydrology for monitoring & program scale-up and share learning practices.