Barhakund Lake Conservation: A case of payment for environmental services

Ek Raj Sigdel


The wetlands of Churia hills have been working as water reservoirs for centuries. However, these wetlands are under serious threat as a result of siltation and deforestation together with longer drought periods may be due to climate change, in recent years.

Take a case of Barhakunda- a network of 12 ponds- that ranges from quarter to one and half hectares areas are located at the Churia hills near Bhimdataa town (earlier known as Mahendra Nagar) of Kanchanpur District. Ever increasing population in the town and declaration of nearby forests as Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, increased pressure for firewood, fodder, timber and grazing in forest areas situated outside reserve - such as one around the Barhakunda. This resulted rapid loss of vegetation coverage, increased siltation and decreased water level in the ponds. This adversely affected the wildlife that depended on these ponds for water.

To address this issue, Western Terai Landscape Complex Project through Churia Conservation Network, a local NGO build a retention wall and planted bamboo and trees around the ponds, maintained inlets and outlets of the ponds. Besides, community were educated on need of plantation around barren areas surrounding Barhakunda and motivated to conserve and wisely use water resources. The aim was to retain water level and to make it a suitable habitat for wildlife species, and to provide water to nearby communities for farming and to maintain was for long times.

With three years of conservation efforts and local communities' participation the water level and greenery around the pond has significantly increased. Today, Barhakunda has been providing 78 local households including 18 Dalit households, water for irrigating their paddy fields of of Dalit community. Moreover, the Barhakunda has become a reliable source of drinking water to wildlife including leopards, pea-cocks, deers, and wild boars.

For maintenance of the wetland system, the community has made the scheme of raising income of Rs 10 per hour for irrigating their field. The generated money in turn has been utilized to hire a local guard for maintaining wetland. The rest of the money has been deposited in community forest account. In this way, a kind of understanding between community forest user group and the wetland user have been reached. This can be considered as a payment for environment services.