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Birth of a Network

The Red Panda Project has achieved a fantastic success, further legitimizing its efforts in Nepal. March 22, 2007 marked the official registration of Red Panda Network-Nepal, a national non-profit dedicated to preserving the red panda and its habitat for the future of Nepal.

But, “Wait,” you might be thinking. “What about the Red Panda Project? Isn’t that the same as the Red Panda Network-Nepal? What’s the difference between these two organizations?” As these are great hypothetically-posed questions, an attempt at an explanation is in order.

For starters, the Red Panda Project and the Red Panda Network-Nepal are very closely related. Without the Project, the Network wouldn’t exist. A good way to think of the relationship is as Guipetto and Pinocchio. The Project (Guipetto), tinkering around in the red-panda-conservation woodshop, carves out a couple strong ideas. These ideas include Project Punde Kundo: The effort to guide and support Nepalese communities through the creation and management of a Red Panda Protected Forest. Naturally, thise effort has been tended by Red Panda Project colleagues in Nepal. Soon enough, it became clear that the Nepal-based work should become more autonomous – without strings, if you will. Thus a little wooden boy was brought to life…er…rather the Red Panda Network-Nepal has been registered in Kathmandu as a non-profit organization.

So now the new non-profit will officially be responsible for Project Punde Kundo. What does this mean for the actual Red Panda Project? It means that the work in Nepal is getting serious and the guidance and support of the Nepal-based organization has become a major priority. It also means that the Red Panda Project is realizing a unique broadening of its organization. It is important to remember that the red panda range extends well beyond the Nepal border: There is much still to be done.

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Project Punde Kundo: The world’s first long-term community-based red panda research and monitoring project

Overview
Project Punde Kundo is Red Panda Network Nepal’s signature program. We use this program to enter into a community and establish a network of “forest guardians”, whom become our tentacles into the community. Our “forest guardians” both monitor and protect red panda habitat as well as educate their communities about the importance of red panda to their future. Our goal is to create a network of community monitors that are the voice for red panda and their home, the Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf and Conifer Forest. [photo of a red panda]

Forest Guardians
Forest guardians are the key to the future of red panda. They mobilize the community into action to preserve the EHBCF and red panda. These special people work in their respective communities to inspire the creation of a community forest networks that are empowered to take control of their forests. [photo of a forest guardian]

Community Forest Network
Community forest networks are the basis for the creation of community conserved areas. These collection of community forests update community forest management documents, create unions to manage the network and in turn create regional coalitions to lead community-based sustainable development. Development that is led by the people for the people. Using local people to create management plans the community forest networks stand the test of time with a system of checks and balances.

Community Conserved Areas
The networks create sustainable development of community-based business organizations and alternatives to using the forest. Their goal is creation of core areas of climax EHBCF for red panda populations to survive, creating a secure future for red panda in the wild. Our first community conserved area, the Red Panda Protected Forest will create the world’s first protected area dedicated to red panda.

Results
In 2006, RPN Nepal initiated this program in Eastern Nepal and to date, RPN Nepal works with 8 community forests, has 13 forest guardians and is in the process of creating the first community forest network.

Red Panda Network:
An Earth Island Institute Project
info@redpandaproject.org

P.O. Box 390454
Mountain View, CA 94039
tel 650.279.1650

© Red Panda Network 2008
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