News from the CEPA e-mail list

Wetland Clubs formed around Ghodaghodi Lake (ramsar site) for the first time in Nepal (11/01/07)

Training-workshop and awareness campaign conducted at Ghodaghodi Lake, Kailali, Nepal - Forming 3 wetland clubs

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News: Jan. 11, 2007 (Wetland Friends of Nepal)

Ghodaghodi Lake is a ramsar site and an important bird area of Nepal. It covers 2563 hectares with 14 lakes and adjacent forests. A training-workshop and awareness campaign was carried out among school students (classes 5-9) of three schools around the lake in Dec. 15- Jan. 8. This program was supported by The Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation.

Three wetland clubs have been formed in three schools around Ghodaghodi Lake as follows:
Dasarath Wetland Club in Dasarath Secondary School, Sadepani VDC
Sitakunda Wetland Club in Sitakunda Secondary School, Ramshikharjhala VDC and
Taranath Wetland Club in Rastriya School, Sadepani VDC.
Each club consists of 15 committee members. All students of the school of 5-9 classes are general members of the club.

The 15 committee members were empowered through training-workshop and awareness campaign in each school. The major activities during this workshop and campaign are – indoor training on wetlands and biodiversity, bird watching, wetland walk, drawing competition, essay competition, plant identification race, play card display and wall magazine publication. The indoor training activities were carried out in respected school and the outdoor activities were conducted at Ghodaghodi Lake area in natural environment.

A work plan has been prepared for each club in participatory manner with club members, project team and school teachers. Each club has agreed to celebrate World Wetlands Day (Feb. 2, 2007) with some awareness activities.

Each wetland club carried out one day awareness campaign in Ghodaghodi Lake including students of 5-9 classes. Altogether 450-500 school students have gained introductory knowledge on birds, wetlands, bird watching and wetland environment from this activity.

We obtained very positive feedback of the program. School students have gained exposure to out-of-classroom activities and learned something new in natural settings. Club members and school teachers showed their commitment in conducting similar sort of activities from their own initiative. However, they request facilitation and post-formation support to build the capacity of the newly formed clubs.

These wetland clubs have been formed for the first time in Nepal. The sustainability of this new concept and practice is yet to be emerged and practised.

Team: Gandhiv Kafle, Hari Adhikari, Bharat Bhatta, Mohan K. C. and Pawan Adhikari
For more information, please contact: gandhiv@wetlandfriends.org

**********************************************************