Partners driving Nepal’s nature-based fight against wildfires gathered in Dhulikhel for a four-day workshop to review their first year of field progress and map out the next phase of the initiative.
Held from May 14 to 17, the Annual Progress Review and Planning Workshop evaluated field implementation launched under the PunarUtthan Program in March 2025. The initiative brings together key organizations, including Rupantaran, the Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (GIIS), Nature Media Network (NMN), and the Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM).
The review comes at a critical time. Between 2001 and 2023, Nepal recorded over 40,000 fire incidents, impacting ecosystems, agriculture, and nearly 7.5 million people—particularly in the Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim provinces.
Field success and testing
Over the past year, communities in Arghakhanchi, Kapilvastu, Surkhet, and Kailali have been actively piloting 35 different nature-based solutions across 26 community forests. These interventions include composting and agroforestry systems to reduce forest fuel loads, irrigation and recharge ponds to improve soil moisture and vegetation-based firebreaks to halt spreading flames.
The dual goal of these strategies is to strengthen ecosystem resilience while simultaneously supporting local livelihoods.
The power of real-world evidence
Opening the session, Country Director Kiran Ojha emphasized the project's hands-on approach, "We begin with implementation in communities and generate learning from real experiences."
As the program shifts into its next phase, the focus is turning toward data and policy. Program Lead Dr. Narayan Gyawali stressed the need for stronger field evidence to clearly show what works, while Dr. Uttam Babu Shrestha (GIIS) and Dr. LB Pun (KUSOM) highlighted the vital role of research and academia in transforming field data into actionable national policy.
Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the REDAA program—and managed by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)—the PunarUtthan Program is being implemented by Lutheran World Relief. It is slated to run through January 2029, aiming to build long-term climate resilience through locally driven solutions.
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