We gained practical knowledge and experience in using these technologies for better forest resource management. The training was conducted with the expert guidance of trainers Mr. Navraj Shahi and Mr. Prabin Pandit, and was hosted at the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, which provided a well-equipped IT Hall.

The program’s success was made possible through the support of volunteers, facilitators, and other contributing individuals. Our team A got recognition for the “Best Presenting Group,”

The event concluded with a message of unity and future success: “Unite to Ignite Change.”

Key components of the training included:

• Business and Entrepreneurship Development: The first two days focused on business planning and entrepreneurship fundamentals. Participants explored the Business Model Canvas, learned to pitch ideas, and understood the essentials of running a sustainable enterprise.
• Case Sharing: Entrepreneurs shared real-life experiences, including challenges and successes in the plywood and Allo industries, inspiring participants to embrace innovation and resilience.
• Marketing Strategies: Sessions emphasized the role of digital and non-digital marketing, product positioning, and the potential of sustainable materials like banana fiber.
• Field Excursions: Visits to Golden Nursery, tea enterprises, furniture industries, and large-scale manufacturers like Surya Nepal Cigarette Factory provided practical insights into operations, technology, and sustainability.
• Hands-on Training: Participants engaged in activities such as biochar production, organic manure preparation, and handmade Lokta paper making, highlighting eco-friendly business opportunities.
• Global and Local Perspectives: Sessions featured international case studies and idea pitching, fostering a global outlook while addressing local needs.
• The program culminated in evaluations and a closing ceremony celebrating the participants’ achievements. It not only provided entrepreneurial and technical skills but also inspired participants to explore sustainable, forest-based business ventures.

As a Research Officer, I facilitated discussions during the orientation programs on “Women Leadership Development on Forest Management” organized by Forest Action Nepal under the EnLiFT project. My role involved guiding interactive sessions to engage Community Forest Users Group members in meaningful dialogue about gender dynamics, leadership barriers, and the importance of women’s active participation in decision-making for sustainable forest management. I helped participants explore concepts such as gender roles, socialization, and leadership qualities while emphasizing the impact of exclusion on community forests. Through these discussions, I ensured a collaborative and reflective environment, enabling participants to share insights and build their capacity for fostering inclusive leadership in forest management.

More about the training: https://forestaction.org/orientation-programs-on-women-leadership-development-on-forest-management/

https://enliftnepal.org/portfolio/orientation-programs-on-women-leadership-development-on-forest-management/

I had the privilege of participating in the Advanced Scientific Writing Workshop Series organized by the Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS) in collaboration with NIMS College. As an early-career researcher, the workshop provided me with invaluable guidance on structuring and refining my academic writing. During the sessions, I actively engaged with mentors and peers to enhance my skills, particularly in writing compelling introductions, identifying research gaps, and aligning findings with analytical frameworks. This experience honed my ability to draft and polish research articles for effective scientific communication.

More about the training:https://sias-southasia.org/advanced-scientific-writing-workshop-series-on-writing-synopsis-introduction-and-problem-statement/

A one-day workshop titled “An introduction to planning a conservation project” was held on June 23, 2022, in Tewa, Lalitpur, with the participation of a total of 22 young people from different universities, colleges, and organizations, particularly from forestry, environmental science, and zoology academic background. Ms. Phoebe Griffith, a research fellow of Himalayan Nature and current PhD student at Oxford University conducting a project on Gharial conservation in Nepal organized this workshop. The workshop targeted early career researchers and conservation enthusiasts to provide a way out and guide them with the ideas to develop conservation projects.

Ms. Phoebe Griffith facilitated the workshop, while Ms. Janice Law of the Whitney Fund for Nature, and Dr. Bhagwan Raj Dahal of the ZSL-Nepal Office presented on various aspects of fundraising and project implementation. Ms. Griffith provided insightful information regarding the project’s development process, focusing on the integral components that must be considered at each stage of project development in order to make the project SMART and secure the funding. In addition, she has outlined different aspects of the project that an individual should focus on while setting up the project’s goal or vision, a log frame that must be simple and achievable. It was followed by group work, where participants were divided into 4 groups of 5 members each to create the problem tree. Each group developed a project and focused on developing to create problem trees that allowed the participants to comprehend the root causes of major issues that arose during the project’s development and the downstream effects of the problems. With this, participants can easily find the effective solutions to the problems.

Ms. Law, shed light on the fundraising process, its prerequisite and compliance, profile building and approach for funding from different institutions. Meanwhile, Dr. Dahal emphasized the project’s implementation components in the context of Nepal after receiving grants, as well as the procedure for obtaining research permission from relevant governmental institutions and other integral components in terms of project implementation.

Full article: https://www.himalayannature.org/works/news/an-introduction-to-planning-a-conservation-project/