Two centuries after it was first classified by botanists, Musa nepalensis has been spotted again in the country that bears its Latin name. Ram Prasad Ghimire, 54, from Pytar in Lalitpur took a closer look and said, “That’s ghyampe kera!” According to Ghimire, until a few decades ago the plant was widespread in the forest near his village. But it had declined sharply in recent years because of over harvesting for its purported therapuetic properties. People in the village boil the middle portion of the pseudo stem, also known as the peduncle, and eat it to relieve stomach discomfort. Although the ripe fruit has little flavour, it is used to treat diarrhea. Similarly, leaf base latex is used for ear infections. There were a dozen of these banana plants growing in Godavari. According to Gaurav Parmar of the National Botanical Garden the banana blooms once in three years, and when the fruit is fully ripe, the plant dies. The fruit bunch is compact unlike in domesticated banana. Birds and animals consume the fruit and spread its seeds to germinate. The pseudo stem is nearly one metre tall but its fringed leaves can reach a length of two metres.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230801090844_29398dd63a2d04306f68e1da0669b186826f87900f5b274631c119191fe40740.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230801090844_29398dd63a2d04306f68e1da0669b186826f87900f5b274631c119191fe40740" data-rendition-name="original" width="706" height="826" loading="lazy" alt="Wallich's drawing"><figcaption>Wallich's drawing </figcaption></figure>  Musa nepalensis was first described by Nathaniel Wallich in 1820 during his expedition from Amlekhganj to Thankot on the old foot trail to Kathmandu from the plains. During the first half of the nineteenth century, a Danish surgeon served as superintendent of the Royal Botanical Garden of Calcutta and which had 142 genera and almost 8,000 plant species. He also traveled Kathmandu Valley in 1820-21 in search of botanical specimens. In Kathmandu, Wallich gathered wild banana samples and sketched them, identifying them as a brand-new species in 1824. The nepalensis in the name signified that the plant was endemic to Nepal. But after that one observation, no one else had ever seen the wild banana, prompting many to believe that Wallich's observations of the specimen and its drawings were mistaken. Ensete glaucum, a species of banana from Southeast Asia, was discovered in 1948 and its morphological make was more or less comparable to Musa nepalensis. Between 1963 and 1977, a Japanese plant exploration team found Ensete glaucum in east Nepal and assumed that the Wallich collection from Nepal was that plant and not Musa nepalensis.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230801090848_076f576898886e0d3347c98d8364cdb8ed284520889d693231c880f03ecaf7fb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230801090848_076f576898886e0d3347c98d8364cdb8ed284520889d693231c880f03ecaf7fb" data-rendition-name="original" width="4016" height="6016" loading="lazy" alt="wild banana"><figcaption>Boy carrying sapling of Ensete nepalense</figcaption></figure>  A year later a book with a checklist of Nepali plants was published which also stated that the banana Wallich had gathered is today known as Ensete glaucum. In 1862, the genus Ensete was separated from Musa. The rediscovery of the wild banana species was made by a team consisting of Gaurav Parmar, Dipak Lamichhane, Hem Raj Paudel and Anna Trias-Blasi. They found Wallich's description of Musa nepalensis and the specimens from Godavari locality to be identical. Throughout Wallich’s working period, there was only the Musa genus. Monocarpic pseudo stem bananas are now included in the genus Ensete. Multiple pseudo stems in the Musa genus develop from a single underground true stem.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230801090848_71a0fa651a3e08f730caaabaaaf1246b64afc5e1ac152ef0c95fa7e41c377664.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230801090848_71a0fa651a3e08f730caaabaaaf1246b64afc5e1ac152ef0c95fa7e41c377664" data-rendition-name="original" width="4016" height="6016" loading="lazy" alt="wild banana"></figure>  The seeds of Ensete nepalensis are spread by birds and mammals. They thrive on rocky moist, somewhat open areas and have a higher rate of germination in natural condition. When freely sown, some 60% germinate. Grazing is one of the biggest threats to the conservation of wild banana plants. Cattle love feeding on the plant's leaves and branches. Humans also unintentionally harm the plant when they fall down because of its peduncle. The plant also has ornamental purposes. For many ethnic communities in India, Ensete glaucum is an important herb used to treat a variety of illnesses. Flower juice has reportedly been used to treat dysentery and excessive bleeding in young girls during menstruation. Very young inflorescence is used locally in a variety of tribal recipes, and youngsters play traditional games with its seeds. More exploratory investigation should be conducted for this species, research its medicinal properties, and community forestry user groups should be made aware of a species named after Nepal. Kamal Maden is a botanist and biodiversity researcher.

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New banana republic

<figure><img width="2250" height="1000" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141124/636cfbdf9c7e80680e0a0b57jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>The newly discovered 'Rubus dorcheae' raspberry at Shivapuri National Park. Photos: MAAN BAHADUR ROKAYA</figcaption></figure>A new species of ainselu, the wild raspberry native to the subcontinent and Southeast Asia, has been discovered in Nepal. It is the second flowering plant to be discovered in the country in 2021.  Samples of the plant were collected from Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park by botanical enthusiast La Dorchee Sherpa and researchers Maan Bahadur Rokaya and Sajan Subedi.Coined Rubus dorcheae after Dorchee Sherpa, the species was introduced in Rokaya and Subedi's academic article <a href="https://www.biotaxa.org/Phytotaxa/article/view/phytotaxa.511.1.5">Rubus dorcheae (Rosaceae), A New Species from Central Nepa</a>l published on 13 July in the botany journal Phytotaxa. Ainselu belongs to the genus Rubus, which has 760 species across the world except for some countries in the South American and African continents. Among the 32 species found in Nepal, the evergreen Himalayan creeping bramble (Rubus nepalensis) known as Bhui ainselu in Nepali, is indigenous to the Himalayan nation. Meanwhile, the wild Rubus ellipticus ainselu plant that bears clustered yellow fruit each April is more widespread across the country.Given his interest in botany and Nepal’s diverse flora, La Dorchee Sherpa initially trained under notated Nepali naturalist Tritha Bahadur Shrestha despite graduating with a business degree. Since then, over the past few years, Sherpa has been travelling within the Kathmandu Valley as well as across the country identifying and photographing Nepal’s flora. He spends months at a time researching the plants he has photographed, and has helped many botanists and academicians in their study.The Rubus dorcheae plant is 10m tall, and flowers from August, bearing fruit in the months of October and November. Samples of the plant were first collected from Shivapuri in 2018 at an altitude of 1,930m. After initial studies concluded the species to be the first of its kind, additional samples were then collected in 2019 and 2020. <figure><img width="900" height="560" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141124/636cfbe29c7e80680e0a0b58jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Measurements of the leaf (above) and the plant (below) of a 'Rubus dorcheae' sample. Photos: SAJAN SUBEDI</figcaption></figure><img width="900" height="598" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141124/636cfbe59c7e80680e0a0b59jpeg.jpg" alt="">The researchers compared the collected samples with the published botanical works of other Rubus species found in Nepal, Bhutan, China and India. They also studied samples of herbariums available at the Natural History Museum in London, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland, the National Herbarium and Botanical Laboratory in Godavari, the University of Tokyo in Japan, and the Central Department of Botany. Researchers found the specimen collected from Shivapuri to be similar to the Rubus kumaonensis, which is native to Nepal and Tibet, and the Himalayan blackberry Rubus rugosas. They then compared the height, shape and texture of the leaves, as well as sepal and petal of the flowers of the new sample and the two species.  The differences in height and the size of the leaves of plant samples do not have much bearing when studying potential new plant species as they typically vary even for the same species depending on their geographic location. However, the botanists found other significant differences confirming that the new ainselu species was the first of its kind. The article published in the journal Phytotaxa provides an in-depth study of the new plant, including detailed <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-anatomy-of-a-flower/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">botanical sketches</a> of their smallest parts. And while the two researchers and Sherpa do a commendable job, an extended study into the DNA would have added to it. In fact, one of the authors of the article, ecologist Maan Bahadur Rokaya, is well placed to conduct the DNA study at the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, where he is a researcher.  A DNA study would have revealed the internal differences between the different Rubus species whereas the morphological study is limited to identifying external variations. Such a detailed research would have served as a reference and resource for other botanists in the future. Translated by Shristi Karki from the <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/124984">Himal Khabar</a>.

First of its kind raspberry in Nepal

<img width="1500" height="1000" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121140/636ce3a99c7e80680e096668jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>"I can’t help myself when I see flowers,” says <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Planting-painting,3224" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">botanical artist and illustrator Neera Joshi</a>. “ I have to paint them.”Outside her studio, the spring garden is blooming with bright pink azaleas, orange daisies, and lush calla lilies. They were splashes of colour against a city shrouded in smoke this week. Inside, Joshi sits cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by framed <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/a-new-york-miracle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">botanical artwork</a>. On Tuesday, 32 of her paintings will be on display at Siddhartha Art Gallery for a three-week-long exhibition supported by the Nepal Britain Society.“Many people do not know what botanical art is because they have never seen it,” explains Joshi. “It is a means visual communication that will enable Nepalis to recognise and appreciate our rich and varied biodiversity.” Indeed, the relatively unknown art form typically comprises botanical illustration and botanical art. While both styles need to be scientifically accurate, and require equipment different from other art forms, botanical drawings are more scientific, the figures need to be precise and to scale, and they contribute to scientific studies and plant identification.<a style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Botanical art</a>, meanwhile, allows for more focus on the aesthetics and the creative process. Joshi plays to both of those styles in her artwork. Half of her collection for the exhibition includes flowers native to Nepal— from wildflowers of Champadevi done in greens and browns to the soft pink Luculia gratissima and Himalayan blue poppies. The other half are exotic plants, ranging from orchids in pinks and yellows to kalakaua, magnolias, and more. <img width="1250" height="1667" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121140/636ce3ab9c7e80680e096669jpeg.jpg" alt="">Joshi experiments with multiple mediums in <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=13501#.YGqSNy2B0b0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">her artwork</a> while balancing scientific accuracy and artistic expression in her paintings. One of her pieces of mahonia berries, called jamaane mandro in Nepal, is a mixture of watercolour and pen-and-ink, while some of her pieces are half watercolour and half pencil sketch, with a series of smaller, more detailed, and scale illustration of the plant, depicting every stage of its life.[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.nepalitimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2-2.mp4"]Video: SHANTA BUDHA MAGAR “There is little room for free expression, freestyle or imagination with botanical art, and there are lots of rules and regulations,” says Joshi.She prefers being in nature and doing live paintings, and recently trekked up to 3,500m in Gorkha to study flora in previously unexplored forests. Although botanical artists also work with herbariums, a collection of preserved plant specimens, she usually documents flowers live in her field sketchbook, later referring to them to translate her art to watercolour. If the plant is small and manageable, Joshi brings them back home to study.“My mother wanted me to become a doctor,” Joshi says, smiling. “But I studied botany.” Joshi got her Master’s degree in Botany from Tribhuvan University in 1995.Although her father, Ramananda Joshi, was a noted artist, it was only in 1996 that she considered art as a career after her Master’s. “Becoming an artist had never  crossed my mind, although I was raised surrounded by art,” she says.[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.nepalitimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1.mp4"]Video: SHANTA BUDHA MAGAR For picking up the paintbrush relatively later in life, Joshi honed her skill swiftly over the next few years and had her work on exhibit for the first time in 1999.“Botanical art is a scientific discipline, and as such, one cannot just paint whatever they feel like,— the portraits of plants have to be meticulous,” says Sangeeta Thapa of Siddhartha Art Gallery. “Neera is among the very few botanical artists in Nepal, and she stands out from the crowd of contemporary artists because she’s doing something very unique and something she’s really passionate about.”Her work has been on display at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and more recently at the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/nepals-botanical-art-in-wuhan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wuhan International Botanical Art Exhibition</a>, where three of her paintings were exhibited virtually, owing to the Covid pandemic. <img width="1250" height="833" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121140/636ce3af9c7e80680e09666ajpeg.jpg" alt="">“Most Nepalis don’t know indigenous flowers from exotic ones, which is especially concerning at a time when conservation of biodiversity is so important,” says the artist, who also trains students and budding Nepali artists at her Studio Petals.“I hope this exhibition will provide exposure to botanical art and generate interest among young Nepalis,” she says. “This will help in education, conservation and research."Neera Joshi’s collection of botanical art, The Beauty of Nepal’s Flora, will be exhibited at Siddhartha Gallery from 6-26 April.

Shristi Karki

The anatomy of a flower

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b969c7e80680e06b2abjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/>Nepal is famous for its spectacular scenery of mountains and plains, rich cultural heritage. But <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEbqYNGMKP7BhS8i2Z5tBeHWOkCmw">no less wondrous is the beautiful flora</a> that adorns it.It is the flowering season, and some of us lucky to be up in the mountains during the lockdown will wonder what that <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=4345#.XpaWtEAza70" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D4345%23.XpaWtEAza70&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE53Ja4STcS_kFYzcp9jIf9DA_Z5w">gorgeous rhododendron</a> is called.  Or what is the story behind that delicate carnivorous plant with leaves like the hands of the Buddha?  How about the medicinal uses of the lovely blue gentian?Now, the answers are all within reach – literally in the palm of your hand- and it does not add a single ounce to your backpack.The Flora of Nepal Project and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation have partnered with vegetation ecologist Elizabeth Byers and High Country Apps to produce <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">Wildflowers of Mount Everest</a>, the first-ever wildflower identification app for Nepal.<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=10343" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D10343&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGxRLjv_f63wQrCiPrWpFq6ReLXhQ">Nepal’s flora is unique in the world</a>, being specially adapted to survive at high elevations, through cold winters and wet summer monsoons. In spring, luxuriant displays of rhododendrons and primroses <a href="https://www.rbge.org.uk/science-and-conservation/major-floras/flora-of-nepal/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.rbge.org.uk/science-and-conservation/major-floras/flora-of-nepal/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXiQd2YjIwSUspOd2pMz-MtBjyHQ">cover whole mountainsides with colour.</a><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b999c7e80680e06b2acjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="262" height="500">Summer brings the beautiful and sometimes bizarre blossoms, such as Hippolytia gossypina with its white-haired pillars topped by clusters of golden flowers. The autumn trekking season is painted with the blue of gentians and the bright red and yellow autumn foliage of the shrubs and trees.Wildflowers of Mount Everest offers easy-to-use graphical keys, botanical help, detailed descriptions, and plant lore to identify and explore Nepal’s remarkable flora. The app does not require a cellular or internet connection to run, so it can be used anywhere, whether on the trail or in your home. Users can create a list of the plants they see each day and email it to themselves or their friends.“The app is suitable for students, educators, scientists, guides, and visitors interested in the beautiful wildflowers of Nepal’s Mount Everest region. It will be a useful tool for park rangers and scouts as they work to conserve the park’s floral diversity,” says Gopal Prakash Bhattarai, Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.Designed for people who are complete beginners as well as experienced botanists, Wildflowers of Mount Everest will appeal to anyone who wants to identify or learn about plants in eastern Nepal.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b9a9c7e80680e06b2adjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333">Byers has spent much of the last 40 years identifying, photographing, and cataloging specimens of  subalpine and alpine flora of eastern Nepal. “Two things make this field guide special,” she says. “First, the Sherpa elders who have graciously shared plant lore and stories to give us a glimpse of the cultural importance of each species. Second, the botanical experts from all over the world who have volunteered their knowledge to help us understand the unique and specially-adapted plants of Mount Everest.”The Wildflowers of Mount Everest app is available from the Apple App Store and Google PlayStore for $7.99. The authors will periodically update the app to include new species and other content, at no additional charge to users.Elizabeth A Byers is a vegetation ecologist studying rare plant species and climate change vulnerability of plants. She has been studying and photographing the flora of Nepal for nearly 40 years.<a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx</a><h2>Tourism down? Use the pause to learn about flowers</h2>Tourists and trekkers will be flocking back to Nepal before long. For guides, now is the time to learn new skills and increase their confidence and knowledge so that when business picks up again, clients will rave about you and about their experience in Nepal.A fun skill-building activity is offered by the Wildflowers of Mount Everest app, the first plant identification app written specifically for Nepal.  This is an enjoyable way to learn the flora of eastern Nepal’s upper elevations.  It is designed for beginners and experts alike, with easy picture-based keys, information about local lore, and plant facts.  The richly illustrated app includes 557 species of wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b9b9c7e80680e06b2aejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="146" height="300">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwd39Foy9jwFlora of Nepal ProjectThe <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">Flora of Nepal Project</a> is an international partnership tackling a knowledge gap identified in Nepal’s National Biodiversity Action Plan. The project is coordinated by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in partnership with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, the Government of Nepal’s Department of Plant Resources, Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Botany and the University of Tokyo, and draws on the expertise of taxonomic experts throughout the world.The Flora of Nepal Project is supported by <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">High Country Apps</a> which is dedicated to developing applications that deliver high quality natural history information with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. It partners with expert botanists and photographers to provide information of the highest quality in its mobile field guides.High Country Apps will donate a portion of the app proceeds of Flora of Nepal to support field costs of Nepali students or buy field equipment to allow them to conduct botanical studies.Link to High Country Apps: <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx</a>Direct links to the app in stores($7.99):Apple: <a style="letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1479336982" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1479336982&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFMi5OfsgOmCfZIhAVk3SIUmnD4lg">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1479336982</a> (live on April 2)Google Play:  <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.everestfieldguide" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id%3Dcom.emountainworks.android.everestfieldguide&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEEJVG1lhJk6If5tcTf2oKAwFUECQ">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.everestfieldguide</a>Visit the Flora of Nepal Project at <a href="http://www.floraofnepal.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.floraofnepal.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587053267549000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHI7T_cy1R8lTM7Z-d5FFFNPMFFXw">http://www.floraofnepal.org/</a> Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984666000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEjXzEv-sovFIWihDSY7QcgTXF1tA">200 years of botanical art</a>, Nepali Times<h2>Special Offer for Nepali Times Readers:</h2>Free test download instructions exclusively for Nepali Times readers currently living in Nepal:To download the app for an iPhone or iPad (Apple Store) device, please go to this link: <a href="https://testflight.apple.com/join/mO9pvYhM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://testflight.apple.com/join/mO9pvYhM&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587190760045000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFgdef-ivLJWYS757hx9ne1ctEVWw">https://testflight.apple.com/join/mO9pvYhM</a>You will be asked to download the free 'Testflight' app.  Follow the instructions and click the link again to open a free 70-day trial version of 'Wildflowers of Mount Everest' app. The free trial ends on June 30, 2020.To download the app for an Android (Google Play) device, please send a message confirming that you are a 'Nepali citizen living in Nepal' to Elizabeth Byers at <a href="mailto:everest.flora@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">everest.flora@gmail.com</a>Please confirm that your phone or tablet can access Google Play apps before requesting one of the limited number of download codes.High Country Apps and Elizabeth Byers are pleased to support nature exploration in Nepal during the current crisis. The Android version of the app is a full version and will not expire.

Wildflower app celebrates Nepal’s flora

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd1KeYcDjcg&amp;feature=youtu.beKathmandu was described by early expats as an ‘emerald valley’. During the monsoon, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/not-so-soon-monsoon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">terrace paddy fields</a> and forested hills carpeted the basin in verdant shades of green.Today, there is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barely any green spaces left</a>. But in a small way, Spanish artist Iñigo Iriarte is out to change that. ‘Indi’, as the Pamplona native likes to be called (in photo below), paints walls with a palette of living plants.His geotextile canvas is a moist fabric wall alive with leaves and roots, flowers and fruits, water, air and colonies of tiny living creatures. The vertical gardens are living art with broad strokes of a variety of green and tufts of vivid moss, daubs of purple, orange or white where flowers have bloomed.Read also:<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hanging gardens of Kathmandu</a>, Santa Gaha Magar<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vanishing land</a>, Taylor MasonIriarte borrows heavily from expressionist tendencies when he paints on stretched canvas. Similarly, these living compositions speak of the artist's dual love for the city and nature, but also of how they struggle to coexist.Iriarte moved to Kathmandu two years ago with his wife and found reasons and an opportunity here to venture beyond his indoor paint-and-canvas studio into open space. It all started after he was invited to not just paint the inside wall of a spa at Shaligram Hotel, but also cover a blank white wall in the courtyard with a vertical garden.The result was a stunning green wall stretching across a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/water-of-the-ages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dhara spout</a> and basin like an oasis. A sudden calming presence, perfect preparation for a spa client to experience a restful treatment to come.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110814114/636a54729c7e80680e0523adjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="836" height="1400"/>Kathmandu’s latitude is subtropical, but its altitude lends a distinctive climate, rich with summer rain and cooled with dry winters. There is enough moisture and warmth for plants to thrive, so a cityscape of blank walls and hard surfaces could easily be regreened by vertical gardens.Iñigo Iriarte is inspired by French botanist Patrick Blanc, a pioneer of vertical gardens, but takes an ecosystem approach to his selection of plants. Many vertical gardens fail because they are ornamental and used for a wow effect, with little regard for how individual plants like to grow.Iriarte optimises nature’s own tendencies to create resilient ecosystems and microclimates that regulate themselves. He selects plants and places them according to natural growth patterns: those that prefer drier root biomes are higher, where there may be less water. Plants that thrive in wetter conditions are placed lower on the wall.He does not pander to those who just want a green wall — he will leave space free for moss and other unidentified free loaders to take residence on nutrient-rich walls. Sometimes, parasitic plants hitch a ride on their nursery hosts and take root alongside them, becoming part of the family. Occasionally, plants fail and need to be replaced.One of Iriarte’s sites, at the rooftop Rain Restaurant in Jawalakhel, is alive with over 25 varieties, from orchids to monstera, ferns to succulents, bromeliads to bamboo and surprisingly — on a wall of matted fibre and root substrates of crumpled fabric — fruiting citrus plants. There is also rosemary, happily sticking to its sunny spot on the south facing wall. “Plant health and happiness, and their ensuing resilience, is key,” explains Iriarte.Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/something-fishy-in-new-nepal-farm/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Something fishy in new Nepal farm</a>, Hrijata Dahal<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110814114/636a54759c7e80680e0523aejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The wall at Rain is based on <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/something-fishy-in-new-nepal-farm/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aquaponics</a> and recycles water from a fish tank below the plants to the microbially dense geotextile wall. The wall acts as a biofilter to convert water rich in ammonia from fish waste into water rich with nitrates and other nutrients that the plants can absorb, thus making it clean and safe enough to be returned to the fish tank in a water cycle.Rain’s managing partner Tara Adhikari plucks sprigs of rosemary or fruits from the tiny lime tree for some of his classy cocktails, saying: “We make good cocktails because of the freshness of the ingredients we use, some of which come from Indi’s wall. A vertical garden is a new concept in Nepal, and we took a risk, but the guests like it.”Every installation is different, tailored to its context, taking into account aspect, exposure to the elements and purpose. For the three walls Iriarte has installed in Kathmandu, including a testing bed at home, all the hardware and plants are locally sourced.“It would be great to see plants of the surrounding mountains here to green the city using the least space possible and with maximum effect in cleaning the air and creating calm living environments for people and other living creatures,” says Iriarte.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/between-existence-and-extinction-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Between existence and extinction in Nepal</a>, Sonia AwaleNot many other countries can boast a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/between-existence-and-extinction-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landscape as three-dimensional and vertical</a> as Nepal, and it is fitting that even as Kathmandu is built up, vertical walls can help it reclaim some greenery and bring back plants, birds, insects and microbes to coexist with humans.Instagram: the_vertical_ garden_architect

Garden walls

Nepal’s only international aviation gateway, at Kathmandu airport, will cut night-time operation hours to allow construction of taxiways, and airlines have been told to curtail flights. This is expected to lead to more than normal chaos during the height of peak autumn and spring tourist seasons at an airport that is congested even at the best of times. The airport will close from 10PM to 8AM from 8 November-31 March 2025. The taxiways will now connect to the thresholds at both ends of the runway, making the airport more efficient in handling higher frequencies of landings and takeoffs. The parallel taxiway extension will allow international flights to land every 4 minutes instead of the current every 7 minutes. At present planes have to wait to land until a plane taking off backtracks along the runway.&nbsp; Kathmandu is Nepal’s only airport with international operations, and it has only one runway that is only one way in from the south over the mountains. With the taxiway improvement, the airport will be able to handle 42 aircraft landings and takeoffs per hour — double the current capacity.&nbsp; The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been trying to entice international airlines to also start flying to and from the other two international airports at Pokhara and Bhairawa (Lumbini) by slashing landing and handling charges. But so far only Nepal Airlines operates a weekly flight to Bhairawa from Kuala Lumpur.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32" data-rendition-name="original" width="2356" height="1134" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport expansion"> <figcaption>Kathmandu Airport Expansion plan with extension of taxiways to the thresholds of runways 02 and 20 that will limit airport operations from 8 November 2024 - 31 March 2025. Areas in blue are existing structures, including the international terminal which in future will be the domestic airport, and the new international terminal near the north end of the runway,</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1353" height="1328" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport NT"> </figure>  CAAN has reportedly told international airlines to cut their flight frequency to Kathmandu citing the shorter operation hours and has told budget airlines to shift some of their flights to Pokhara or Bhairawa, or face cuts. Many airlines currently operate regular flights to and from Kathmandu between 10PM and 8AM: Air Arabia to Sharjah, Fly Dubai to Dubai, Jazeera Airways to Kuwait, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines, several Nepal Airlines flights, and one of four daily flights by Qatar Airways to Doha. Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, and Thai AirAsia have applied and got permission from CAAN to begin regular flights to Bhairawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport. Starting 9 November, FlyDubai will start making a stopover in Bhairawa before flying on to Kathmandu. Immigration, customs and security are all fully functional in Bhairawa. In Kathmandu, the next phase of the airport upgrade includes converting the current international terminal for domestic operations, the construction of a new international terminal where the domestic departure area is now, as well as moving the hangars and the Nepal Army Air Wing to the eastern side of the runway. The apron area will also double its parking space for widebody jets. This is part of a Airport Capacity Enhancement Project that was initially funded through a $80 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the entire masterplan is expected to cost $800 million. This project is the latest upgrade to Nepal’s only international airport since it saw its first flight in 1949. The current international and domestic terminals are too small to handle the current annual traffic volume of 8.5 million passengers a year that is growing at 20% a year.

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

As Kathmandu becomes more congested and polluted, and with remote online work becoming the norm, many professional Nepalis are planning to retire in Pokhara, or move there.&nbsp; With its stunning mountain panorama, balmy winters and proximity to a profusion of wilderness areas, builders are responding to this demand with new townhouses, housing development and apartments. One such block of flats is the 10-storey <a href="https://sungavaapartment.com/">Sungava Apartment</a> located at Phulbari above the Seti River, near the point where it flows into and under Pokhara. The imposing structure near Manipal Hospital is almost complete, and on a recent visit the site was strewn with huge boulders unearthed while digging the foundation.&nbsp; The Seti brought down these boulders during a gigantic flood that geologists estimate happened 800 years ago when a chunk of Annapurna IV broke off and ploughed into the glacier below. Today, Sungava (means ‘orchid’) sits safely on a high terrace, 100m above the blue-green Seti and commands a view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machapuchre, Annapurna III and IV.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2016" height="1512" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  The soil here is conglomerate that has solidified like concrete, and the boulders were extracted by heavy earthmovers. It is intriguing to think that these metamorphic rocks as big as cars, rounded by glacial grinding, were once a part of a much higher Annapurna IV. Even for those with little interest in geology, Sungava is an ideal place to contemplate the tectonic forces that pushed these peaks into the sky to be sculpted into delicate shapes by wind, snow, earthquake and avalanche over millions of years. The view of the Himalayan panorama from Sungava’s many balconies are breathtaking when not obscured by clouds, or the haze that drifts in from across the southern border. On most days, just watching the towering pyramid of Machapuchre (Tamu name: कतासुँ क्लिको) play hide and seek with the clouds is mesmerising. There are rocks aplenty at Phulbari, and it is probably the flowers that grew along the flat terraces e that gave the place its flowery name. The boulders will hopefully be turned into a rock garden while landscaping. An nearby restaurant complex is making the best use of the stones in its design, using flat rocks as outdoor benches and tables. Sungava was designed by the husband-wife architect team of Deepak Sherchan and Jyoti Joshi of <a href="https://thedarkmermaidamarbshrestha.blogspot.com/2013/12/creative-builders-collaborative-cbc.html">Creative Builders Collaborative (CBC)</a>, which also built Heritage Plaza, Indreni Apartment and numerous other projects in Nepal. Sadbhavana retains CBC’s trademark Newari-style masonry and here it borrows from the orange brickwork of the old town of Pokhara, integrating it with modern design elements. A few of those heritage houses are still standing in Ganesh Tole and Ram Krishna Tole in Pokhara’s old quarter.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab" data-rendition-name="original" width="1362" height="595" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  About 400m from the apartment past a bend on the river, and down below three tiers of terraces in the canyon is a suspension bridge. Below it, the Seti is still swollen with post-monsoon flow as it tumbles away in a hurry to head down south.&nbsp; Back at the apartment, it is quiet, far away from the hubbub of Lakeside a 15 minute drive away, and in the lap of greenery. There are 52 units at Sungava and it already has a close-knit prospective community of professionals, including doctors, publishers, engineers, and businesspeople from the renewable energy and IT sectors.&nbsp; Some residents say they opted for a second home in Pokhara to make it a ‘base camp’ to explore the Annapurnas with its many hiking trails made newly accessible with new roads. With the NRN citizenship law, overseas Nepalis can now also buy the flats. &nbsp; The floor plans include options for north and south-facing 3-bedroom apartments with verandas, and the facility has underground parking has EV charging, heated pool, sauna and gym. There are still some unsold apartments with panoramic views of the mountains and one can imagine oneself at the kitchen with its huge window, humming a ditty while preparing breakfast: “खाना पकाउँ हिमाल हेरेर...”

High living below the Himalaya

When the United Nations held its Summit of the Future at its headquarters in New York in September, many world leaders, including Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli, highlighted the effect of climate breakdown in increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. What did not get as much attention was the long term impact of the climate crisis on food production. In fact, heat stress, weather extremes and the consequences on rain-fed agriculture is already being felt worldwide, undermining the chances of the <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/">UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> being met by 2030.&nbsp; The SDG’s 17 targets commit countries like Nepal to reduce poverty and inequality, end malnutrition, protect the natural environment, and ensure that citizens all enjoy health, justice and prosperity without leaving anyone behind.&nbsp; However, besides the impact of climate breakdown on agricultural production, in Nepal the area under cultivation is impacted by urban expansion, falling productivity and the need for expensive inputs like fertiliser and pesticides.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62" data-rendition-name="original" width="999" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Kathmandu's urban sprawl is eating into its fertile cultivable lands. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  Now, a new study led by Nepali researcher Prajal Pradhan at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands looks at how urban agriculture may offer a solution to falling food production and meeting SDG targets. The researchers evaluated 1,450 publications exploring the contributions of urban agriculture with both positive and negative effects, and published their findings in the journal Cells Report Sustainability. Urban agriculture can help achieve 17 SDGs, positively influencing 81 targets. However, it could also undermine 51 goals.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land">The vanishing land</a>, Taylor Mason “Urban agriculture offers immense potential for sustainable development, but realising this potential depends crucially on adopting practices that minimise its adverse effects while maximising its benefits,” Pradhan explains. Urban agriculture can substantially enhance urban food security, provide employment to the urban poor, serve as ground water recharge in built-up areas, and preserve open spaces that can serve as safe havens during disasters like earthquakes. However, it also presents problems like the potential health risks from contamination and the need for expensive inputs. &nbsp; “Urban agriculture plays a definitive role in advancing the SDGs, but achieving this requires tailored, context-specific solutions that address the unique challenges of different regions,” says Yuanchao Hu of Wuhan University in China and who is a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “But it needs equitable access and rigorous management of environmental risks.”&nbsp; Rapid urbanisation is eating into Nepal’s most fertile agricultural land, which means farming in remaining open spaces inside cities can be a viable alternative, especially as food prices rise.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>A vegetable patch in between new houses in Thimi. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  “The conversion of Nepal’s most fertile land into cities is a severe problem,” Pradhan told Nepali Times. “Crop cultivation, horticulture, agroforestry, beekeeping, livestock rearing, or aquaculture can all be farming activities within and around cities.”&nbsp; The study makes recommendations for sustainable practices that build on the positive aspects of urban agriculture while mitigating the downsides, thereby promoting more resilient cities in future. Research shows that urban agriculture has been helping many countries attain SDG targets by enhancing food security and biodiversity while helping education and preservation of open spaces.&nbsp; Indeed, many farmers from the hinterland who have settled in Kathmandu Valley or other urban areas of the country have been practicing urban agriculture, leasing neighbourhood patches or cultivating roof gardens both out of necessity because of inflation and falling income to grow their own food, and also as a fulfilling hobby. Saurav Dhakal, a sustainability advocate with Story Cycle and now research fellow at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, says there are socio-economic and environmental benefits of urban agriculture. “It provides benefits to all urban dwellers, regardless of their income status,” says Dhakal, “families get fresh food, and there are many other benefits like water retention, heat regulation and biodiversity. These are all public goods, so special government incentives may be needed.” It is not unusual to see vegetable patches and even paddy fields within inner city Kathmandu where an older generation of farmers are using available fertile land and <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415">roof gardens to produce fresh, nutritious food </a>to reduce their dependence on food items that have to be bought after being trucked in from large distances.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>An older generation of farmers are using any available fertile land to continue farming but it is getting more and more difficult. Photo: TAYLOR MASON </figcaption> </figure>  Nepal’s urban population grew rapidly from only 3.6% in 1991 to 25% today. There is large outmigration from the mountains to peri-urban areas of the Tarai, to Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, with many young men then moving abroad for work. Kathmandu Valley’s population has swelled to nearly 3 million, and is growing at 6.5% a year. Dilip Shrestha, 71, used to work for Nepal Food Corporation, so he knew firsthand about inflation, shortages and vegetables with pesticide residue. So, when he designed his new house in Kathmandu, he built a spacious roof where he grows cucumber, ginger, garlic, coriander, onions, tomatoes, chili, beans, okra, pumpkin and lettuce. His family eats healthier, and he has reduced dependence on the market.&nbsp; The co-author of the Cell Reports Sustainability journal article, Daya Raj Subedi who is a PhD candidate at Beijing Forestry University, says urban agriculture also promotes inclusion and psycho-social wellbeing.&nbsp; He says, “A crucial finding of the study is the identification of opportunities and challenges associated with urban agriculture, it can promote sustainable transformation of society.” In Banepa, 55-year-old Bijaya Manandhar in her lifetime has watched the fertile farms of her neighbourhood that used to supply vegetables to Kathmandu, now completely built up with no open space left. The pandemic lockdown prompted her to turn to the family’s <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world">ancestral livelihood by growing food</a> not on terrace farms, but on the roof terrace. Manandhar is now a part of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world%5C%5C">कौसी खेती र करेसाबारी क्रान्ती</a> (Rooftop Farming and Garden Revolution) which has an online membership of 52,000, and awards annual prizes to women who excel in urban agriculture.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="736" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Rooftop farming is gaining popularity as a form of urban agriculture. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> </figure>  Pradhan says the challenge now is to upscale such examples of successful urban agricultural practices so they support Neal’s efforts to meet SDG targets. He adds, “Crop cultivation around cities can be protected by land use plans and regulations. Promoting community-based agriculture, including rooftop gardens, requires community engagement and public-private partnerships across the food value chain.”&nbsp; Such support would accelerate the popularity of existing rooftop farming and community gardens in Kathmandu Valley, or kitchen garden initiatives in Pokhara, and building on traditional farming practices that are preserved and integrated into urban settings like in Bhaktapur and Banepa. In Lalitpur, the Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Center promotes urban farming enhancing both sustainability and empowerment.&nbsp; Another co-author of the report, Yuanchao Hu from China says followup research of the team will aim to identify good practices in local urban agriculture practices. He adds, “There are examples of urban agriculture that optimise sustainability, ensuring that it remains a viable solution for cities globally while countries try to meet SDG targets.” Prajal Pradhan, Daya Raj Subedi, Kshitij Dahal, Yuanchao Hu, Prakriti Gurung, Sijal Pokharel, Sagar Kafle, Biplav Khatri, Sudeeksha Basyal, Monika Gurung, and Aruna Joshi. Urban Agriculture matters for sustainable development. Cell Reports Sustainability, 1:100217, 2024. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100217] Prajal Pradhan (<a href="mailto:p.pradhan@rug.nl">p.pradhan@rug.nl</a>) This article is brought to you by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/" target="_blank">Nepali Times</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://inpsjapan.com/en/" target="_blank">INPS Japan</a> and <a href="https://sgi-peace.org/" target="_blank">Soka Gakkai International</a>, in consultative status with UN ECOSOC.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="103" loading="lazy" alt="SDG logo"> </figure>

Back to the land in the cities

The 700-year-old Lakshmi Narasingha temple in Bhaktapur houses a rare half-lion and half-human incarnation of Lord Vishnu carrying the Goddess Lakshmi. The temple was destroyed in the 1934 mega earthquake that killed 10,000 people and destroyed many monuments in Kathmandu Valley. It was rebuilt by a German project in the 1980s, but as a single-storey structure instead of its original two-tier pagoda design.&nbsp; With new findings from in-depth research, Bhaktapur municipality began re-restoring the temple in 2021, preserving its original architecture.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “Our temples and heritage sites hold deep meaning. It is disheartening to witness how often they lose their original elements, whether by design or accident,” explains Kumar Chawal of the Consumer Committee of Bhaktapur. “There is a need to preserve our architecture and protect its historical value for future generations. Otherwise, we risk losing a vital part of our identity.” The Laksmi Narsingha restoration is similar to the Bhai Dega temple in Patan Darbar Square which also collapsed in 1934, but was rebuilt with a Moghul-style dome by the Rana government at the time. Only two months before the 2015 earthquake, heritage conservationists had started to rebuild Bhai Dega as the original three-tier based on early photographs. But priorities shifted when four other temples in the square were brought down by the 7.8M earthquake on 25 April 2015.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  This showed how damage to monuments in Kathmandu Valley spanned from one earthquake to the next. Bhai Dega restoration remains half-complete to this day because money for its restoration ran out.&nbsp; Whereas Bhai Dega restoration was done by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust with grants from western embassies and international foundations, in Bhaktapur it is the municipality itself that allocated the Rs30.7 million needed to restore the Lakshmi Narasingha temple. The expected date of completion is early 2025. The municipality and local communities are focusing on two main aspects: preserving the past and promoting localisation. The restoration team has designed a blueprint for the temple by using historical photographs and insights from older generations.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="560" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “At first, the Lakshmi Narasingha temple had only one entrance, but during the demolition process, we uncovered the foundations of four doors. Now, we are restoring all of them. This is an example of how our ancient structures have changed over time, often without our knowledge,” says Chawal. “Constructing temples is not like building houses. They carry historical and spiritual values, which is why they hold a special place in our hearts,” he adds. By replicating ancient design elements and rebuilding the temple as accurately as possible to its original form, the team has stayed true to Bhaktapur’s soul. But the restoration also revived ancient techniques that were in danger of being forgotten, generating employment for woodcarvers, masons, and contractors. The community of Bhaktapur’s Gahiti neighbourhood near the famous Nyatapola Temple has also set aside specific days for locals to volunteer in the reconstruction work. This has encouraged young people to take pride in ownership of their heritage. Families have also supported the effort by donating funds for bells, the temple pinnacle, and other structural features to the temple.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “I feel at peace knowing I have contributed my sweat to restoring this temple,” said one volunteer. “It is our duty to preserve our temples and heritage. The Nyatapola area will look magical once this temple is completed.” Community mobilisation is a long-standing tradition in Bhaktapur. In the past, locals have actively participated in the restoration of other temples in the city, such as Bhairav and Nyatapola fostering a strong sense of ownership. This collective engagement has not only been crucial in preserving the city's historical monuments but also in strengthening the bond between local communities and their heritage, says officials at the municipality. While securing funding is essential, and the municipality showed it values heritage conservation, the Lakshmi Narasingha restoration is proof that active involvement and sense of responsibility of the local community is as important, if not more. Local involvement also means that the monuments will be cared for into the future, When locals take ownership of these efforts, the restored monuments are not only protected in the present but are also cared for in the future.