Terai ARC honour

Local efforts in Nepal to restore 66,800 hectares of forest have been honoured by the UN as one of seven World Restoration Flagships. The Terai Arc Landscape initiative was launched in 2001 to safeguard the biodiversity hotspot shared by India and Nepal that faced threats from poaching and habitat loss. The initiative has revitalised the area with Nepal's tiger population nearly tripling to 355. It has engaged 40,000 community members in conservation activities and has also improved livelihoods for 500,000 households. This recognition unlocks UN support to extend restoration efforts across 350,000 hectares more in India and Nepal.