Management and funding
Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN), founded in 2006 by wetland and environmental activists, is a non-profit making, non-governmental and voluntary group dedicated to the interests of naturalists, environmentalists and conservationists in Nepal. It is affiliated to Institute of Forestry, Pokhara. It 
seeks to promote awareness about wetlands among local communities, encourages local people's participation in wetland management, promotes wise use of wetland resources for sustainable livelihood, facilitates preparation and implementation of wetland management plans and encourages research and action on wetland ecosystem. It is committed to conserve and manage wetlands with local people's participation for their benefit, while maintaining environmental integrity according to the terms and spirit of the Ramsar Treaty. To accomplish its mission, it makes coordination and builds strategic alliance with communities, community-based organizations, schools, clubs and institutions during planning, design and implementation of conservation activities.
The day to day functions of the Integrated Wetland Education Project are handled by the Chief Executive, partially funded by The Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation, UK and The World Bank/BNPP. The demonstration area for this project is Ghodaghodi Lake (a ramsar site) of Nepal. The core funding is yet to be received. For further information, please visit www.wetlandfriends.co.cc.
INWEP is partially supported by The Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation and The World Bank/BNPP Biodiversity Window. WFN - an affiliate of Institute of Forestry, Pokhara Campus has been implementing this project.
Founded/opened
WFN was established in June 2006 as an affiliate of Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal. WFN is operated by a group of faculties of the campus and committed students of Institute of Forestry, Pokhara. INWEP is implemented by WFN under supervision of Institute of Forestry, Pokhara.
Description
Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN) has developed wetland education program focusing to Ghodaghodi 
Lake Area of Nepal. Ghodaghodi Lake Area is a Ramsar Site and an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Nepal. It is situated in Kailali District of Far-Western Development Region of Nepal. It covers 2563 hectares with tropical deciduous forests, and 14 lakes and ponds. The area is bordered by Sandepani VDC in the east and north, Ram Shikar Jhala VDC in the west and Mahendra Highway in Darakh VDC in the south. The area is remarkable for its rich biodiversity and connectivity between the Terai plains and the Siwalik hills of Nepal. The forest and wetlands in the area serve as the wildlife corridor between the Terai plains and the Siwalik Hills. There are not any visitor centres and exhibits at Ghodaghodi Lake Area. WFN is planning to establish a small information centre at the area, which will later be developed into wetland education centre.
Key species/features
Around 140 species of birds have been recorded from Ghodaghodi Lake and Nakhrodi Lake (two among 14 lakes) representing over 16% of the national avifauna species. It includes six threatened bird species including Critical: White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris; Vulnerable: Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus; and Near-Threatened: Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster and Indian-spotted Eagle Aquila hastate. It regularly supports one percent of the Asian population of Asian pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus. It supports substantial populations of migratory waterfowl in the winter months. Likewise, many species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, butterflies, terrestrial plants and aquatic macrophytes have been recorded in the lake area.
The lake is an important transient site for migratory species that migrate along Dudwa National Park (India), Suklaphanta Widlife Reserve and Bardia National Park (Nepal). The lake is an important religious place with a shrine dedicated to Ghodaghodi deity. Indigenous Tharu people celebrate a traditional festival Agan Panchami during December by worshipping, offering animals and taking holy bath in the lake. For more information, please visit: www.wetlandfriends.org.
General
Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN) has developed an integrated model to wetland education. This model includes four components: 1) publication, 2) awareness, 3) networking and 4) participatory research. This model emphasizes that a wetland education program need to include the abovementioned four components simultaneously so that the impacts are sustainable. So, WFN has initiated wetland education giving equal value to each educational component with the following model.
Interpretation and exhibitry
Ghodaghodi Lake is still unprotected although it supports rare, vulnerable and endangered wildlife species. Around 6,700 people live around the Lake including indigenous Tharu community and use lake resources in various ways. The main threats to biodiversity are excessive drainage of lake water, overgrazing on adjacent forest, use of poison for fishing, use of pesticides, herbicides and inorganic fertilisers on agricultural land, water pollution, eutrophication, proliferation of alien invasive species, hunting, excessive collection of fuel wood, fodder and timber and unplanned infrastructure development.
The Tharu community members, who represent more than fifty percent of local population, are mostly illiterate and they have little knowledge on importance of wetlands to biodiversity conservation. They have weak, undiversified and insecure local livelihoods, based mostly on direct exploitation of natural resources. They have little or no option in their patterns of exploitation. They use the lake resources in different ways to fulfil their subsistence needs. Their illiteracy becomes a major factor to continue activities that threaten the biodiversity. So it is essential to aware them about the importance of wetlands to birds continued survival, their activities and negative consequent impacts on wetland resources. We have to motivate them in such a way that they can recognise the value of wetlands themselves, increase their knowledge and become sensitive to issues of wetland management and threats to biodiversity. Wetland Education seems an essential component for Ghodaghodi Lake conservation. But the wetland education is in slow pace due to unavailability of local language educational materials, educational tools and coordination. Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN) - a university-based volunteer organisation, is working for Ghodaghodi Lake conservation through wetland education. For this WFN has adopted an integrated approach to wetland education through publication, awareness, networking and research. WFN is committed to conserve and manage wetlands with local people's participation for their benefit, while maintaining environmental integrity according to the terms and spirit of the Ramsar Treaty. To accomplish its mission, it makes coordination and builds strategic alliance with communities, community-based organizations, schools, clubs and institutions during planning, design and implementation of conservation activities. WFN is affiliated to Institute of Forestry, Pokhara.
Formal (school and university) learning
WFN has programmes for schools around Ghodaghodi Lake. It includes wetland education programmes including school-teaching, bird-watching, wetland-walk, school competitions, environmental rallies, video/slide-show, etc. the major innovative approach is the establishment and empowerment of Wetland Clubs in schools. WFN has developed a curriculum for environmental education for 5-9 grades. The syllabus is as follows:
UNITS SUBUNITS
1. Biodiversity and Environment: What is biodiversity? Forms of biodiversity. Why conserve biodiversity?Status of biodiversity in Nepal Threats to biodiversity How to conserve biodiversity What is environment? Environmental problems How to conserve environment.
2. Forests: What is forest? Types of forests Why conserve forests? Status of forests in Nepal. Threats to forests How to conserve forests.
3. Wetlands: What is wetland? Types of wetlands. Why conserve wetlands. Status of wetlands in Nepal. Introduction to Ramsar and Ramsar Sites. Ramsar sites of Nepal. Criteria for designing Ramsar sites. Threats to wetlands. How to conserve wetlands.
4. Birds: What is bird? Evolution of birds. Body parts of birds. Why conserve birds? Habitats of birds. Threats to birds. Status of birds in Nepal. Reasons for decline of birds in Nepal. How to conserve birds.
5. Bird Watching or Birding: What is bird watching? Why bird watching? Methods of bird watching. Methods of finding more birds. Requirements for bird watching. Factors affecting bird watching. Code of conduct for bird watching. How to identify birds. Bird recording. Selection, use and care of binoculars and field guide. Characteristics of good bird watcher. Characteristics of good bird guide. Organizing a bird walk. Establishing a local bird club.
6. Bats: Myths and Realities. What is bat? Myths about bats. Evolution of bats. Habitats of bats. Body parts of bats. Why conserve bats. Status of bats in Nepal. Reasons for decline of bats in Nepal. How to conserve bats. Stories related to bats. Games related to bats.
WFN has also developed training-workshop course for wetland education among wetland stakeholders. The outline of the course is as follows:
- Bird Module
- Bird Watching Module
- Wetlands Module
- Local Wetland Club
- Biodiversity Module
- Important Bird Areas (IBAs) Module
- Ramsar Sites Module
- Developing Project Proposal
- Developing objective-oriented program
- Volunteer Wetland Monitoring Module
- Volunteer Bird Survey Module
- Participatory Techniques on Wetlands Management
- Report Writing and Effective Communication
Informal (general public) learning
WFN has also focused on non-formal education among local people, targeting to indigenous Tharus around the lake. It includes formation of Wetland Conservation Committees, conduction of focus group discussion and their empowerment through adult non-formal education. Outdoor exercises are also designed for learning in natural environment.
WFN itself is a volunteer-based wetland working group affiliated to Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal. Its educational activities are functional through a network of active volunteers.
Professional
Conduction of occasional training-workshops and educational campaigns
Regular school programmes, publication and networking
Staffing
INWEP is administered by Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN). WFN is structured by an advisory board, executive committee and research committee. WFN has been creating a network of Wetland Clubs. Educational activities of WFN have been managed by a network of active volunteers. Mr. Mohan Raj Kafle is in charge to manage project implementation.
Contacts
Mohan Raj Kafle, Chief Executive, Wetland Friends of Nepal (WFN)
E: mohan@wetlandfriends.co.cc
Website: www.wetlandfriends.co.cc
Wetland Friends of Nepal
Institute of Forestry, POB 43, Pokhara, Nepal
T: +977-980-109268