Himalayan Trail Walker

The book *Plants of Kathmandu Valley - A Pictorial Guide*, authored by botanists Man B. Rokaya, Shalik R. Sigdel, Saroj K. Kasaju, and La Dorche Sherpa, provides detailed information on 885 flowering plant species from 491 genera and 120 families found in and around the Kathmandu Valley. It features high-quality images to showcase the valley's rich floral diversity, covering plants from subtropical to temperate climatic zones.

The book highlights the historical botanical explorations of the valley, beginning with Sir Francis Buchanan-Hamilton (1802-1803), followed by Nathaniel Wallich (1820-1821) and others, who documented the valley's flora. The text is structured into three chapters: 

1. Background on the valley's geography, history, climate, and culture.

2. An overview of vegetation and floral diversity.

3. Illustrated details of each plant species, including scientific and vernacular names, characteristics, habitats, distribution, and economic uses.

Published by the Kathmandu Centre for Research Education and the Chinese Academy of Sciences-Tribhuvan University, this book is a valuable resource for understanding the valley's plants and costs Rs. 3100.

News: https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/55880

Biodiversity Facts of Nepal

• Protected Areas: As of mid-March 2022, Nepal has a total of 20 protected areas, which include:

  • 12 national parks
  • 1 wildlife reserve
  • 1 hunting reserve
  • 6 conservation areas
    These protected areas cover 23.4% of Nepal's total land area. Additionally, 192,027 hectares of forest area have been managed under the forest conservation framework.

• Forest Coverage:

• Nepal's forest area spans 6,166,766 hectares.
• Including fruit and shrub areas, Nepal's total forested area constitutes 45.31% of the total land area, an increase from 44.8% in mid-March 2022.

• Nepal's biodiversity profile is remarkable, encompassing 208 mammal species, 867 bird species, 123 reptile species, approximately 55 amphibian species, 230 freshwater fish species, and 651 butterfly species. This diverse array of species is complemented by a high level of endemism, showcasing Nepal's unique ecological significance. - NBSAP (2014 – 2020)

  The richness of endemic species increases progressively from the lowlands to the high-altitude regions. Nepal is home to 284 endemic flowering plant species, 160 endemic animal species, including one mammal species, one bird species, and 24 herpetofauna species. This highlights the country's critical role in global biodiversity conservation.

• Tiger Population:

  • The tiger population in Nepal increased to 355 in 2022, up from 235 in 2018.

• Krishnasara (Blackbuck) Population:

  • The population of the endangered Krishnasara rose to 375 in 2022, up by 39 individuals from 336 in 2021.

• Herbarium Digitization:

  • As of mid-March 2023, 19,936 herbarium samples have been digitized. This is a slight decrease from 22,380 samples digitized in the fiscal year 2021/22.

• Flora Documentation:

  • Nepal has documented 293 species of indigenous flora.
  • It is home to 5,309 flowering species and 6,083 non-flowering species.

• Aquatic Biodiversity:

  • A total of 236 species of fish have been identified in Nepal's river channels.
  • Among these, 16 fish species are endemic to Nepal, making them significant for aquatic tourism.

• Global Contribution:

  • Although Nepal occupies only 0.1% of the global area, it is home to 3.2% of the world's known flora and 1.1% of the world's known fauna.

• Conservation Management:

  • The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) was established in 1980 AD (2037 BS) to conserve and manage Nepal's wildlife and biodiversity.

Source: Economic Survey 2022/23; https://www.ntnc.org.np/thematic-area/species?page=1