EARTH DAY CROWDRISE FUNDRAISING HANDBOOK Koshi Tappu Kanchenjunga Biodiversity Education Livelihood Terra-Studio [KTK-BELT]
CONTACT US Nepal
51 Larch drive, Manhasset Hills NY 11040, USA Nepal Country Office: Taragaon Museum Boudha, Tusal, Nepal
Web:
www.belt-project.org www.theverticaluniversity.org
Email:
info@belt-project.org
PHOTOGRAPHY
Kishor Sharma Nirman Shrestha Rajeev Goyal
GRAPHIC AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Priyanka Bista Marco Cestarolli
KTK-BELT studio KTK-BELT, INC. is a non-profit organization that is tax-exempt in the United States under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3). KTK-BELT, INC. was registered in the state of New York on August 7, 2014 and possesses the Employment Identification Number (EIN) 47-2166334. It maintains offices in New York and Nepal and complies with laws in both jurisdictions.
OUR MISSION KTK-BELT’s mission is to catalyze new models of biodiversity conservation and environmental learning in eastern Nepal. It works with teachers, farmers, youth, and women to create a ‘Vertical University’ that will span from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Sanctuary (67 m.) to Kanchenjunga (8,586 m.), the third tallest peak in the world. The idea is to give a framework to local farmers to become ‘professors’ of the Vertical University, to share their indigenous knowledge while also physically conserving threatened species and landscapes.
OUR APPROACH KTK-BELT works in concert with non-profit cooperatives registered under the Nepal Company Act, which it helps establish and nurture, called ‘Learning Grounds.’ Each Learning Grounds, governed by a diverse local Board and monitored by the Social Welfare Council (SWC) of the Nepal Government, owns its own biodiversity-rich conservation land base, which it holds in perpetuity in order to prevent ecosystem fragmentation and deforestation. Youth Fellows and BELT Farmers, trained and supported by KTK-BELT staff, run and administer the Learning Grounds and build capacity across the 8,000-meter vertical gradient through peer-to-peer, upstreamdownstream collaboration.
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JOIN THE CHALLENGE 4
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DEAR FRIENDS, Beginning right now, KTK-BELT is trying to win the Earth Day Roadmap Climate Challenge on Crowd Rise. The organization that raises the most money in the next 30 days will win a $100,000 bonus (Deadline: May 18, 2 PM EDT). We need your tax-deductible donation if we are going to win! It doesn’t matter how much. Every dollar brings us closer. Another critical way to help is to create your own personal donation page by clicking on ‘Fundraise for This Campaign.’ Don’t worry if you have never done it before. On average, organizations that win such campaign will have an average of 55 peer fundraisers. As you know from our Annual Report, we are not like other charities and philanthropies with large, unnecessary, and wasteful overhead. KTK-BELT spends every single dollar to safeguard vital habitats in the eastern region of Nepal, conserve IUCN Red List Species such as Pangolins, and train and empower Nepal’s youth to become the next generation of environmental leaders. Please give whatever you can as the competition is going to be super tough! • The team that raises the most during the Challenge will win a $100,000 donation • Second place will get $75,000 • Third place will get $50,000 • Fourth place will get $25,000 • Fifth place will get $10,000 The Roadmap was created in November 2016 by a group of 150 committed “Doers” worldwide who gathered in Marrakech to create a democratized model for climate action. If KTK-BELT places in the top 5, our ‘Vertical University’ will be adopted as part of this Roadmap, which would be a huge step forward! That’s almost as important as the money that will be raised. Here’re the projects we’re raising funds for: Pangolin Conservation = $5,000 Support 10 BELT fellows ($2,000/year/fellow) = $20,000 Support 150 BELT farmers ($100 / farmer/ year) = $15,000 Support Yangshila’s outdoor education program = $10,000 Nighure Campus and seed banks: $50,000 Tamur campus and Masterplan : $25,000 - $50,000 Koshi Tappu Campus: $25,000 - $50,000 TOTAL MINIMUM GOAL = $150,000 --KTK-BELT TEAM KTK-BELT PROJECT
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PANGOLIN CONSERVATION Six flagship species that are vulnerable (VU) endangered (EN) or critically endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List found in the KTK-BELT will be correlated to each of the 6 campuses of the Vertical University as a public conservation priority. The species will be selected based on issues of how neglected the species is in existing conservation paradigms, the extent of threat and whether or not it can be considered a keystone species. First Flagship Species: The Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) With the recent decision by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to place all eight global species of Pangolin on Cites Appendix I, KTK-BELT has decided to focus on conservation of this 65 million year old species which is still found in Yangshila VDC, though being driven into extinction by illegal trade. A community-based research was conducted by KTK-BELT program officer Wangchu Bhutia to understand the habitat location of pangolins throughout Yangshila. Research has illustrated that around 200 pangolins belonging to the Indian and Chinese species, have been killed in the last 4 years (2012-2106) and the population has declined to 25 % with estimated population or just 40-50 organisms left in the wild. It was further realized that there is a profound lack of awareness of the importance of the ecosystem services provided by pangolin and its connection to water conservation and termite control. Based on this, our strategy is to educate communities about pangolins, create public billboards deterring poachers and traders, and sign up ‘BELT Farmers’ who commit to not only refraining from pangolin hunting but also reporting any illegal activity.
Map showing the location of habitats of pangolins in Yangshila
MINIMUM TARGET: $5,000 Pangolin tunnel 6
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Termite mounds where pan
angolin habitats are normally found Pangolin scales being harvested for illegal trade
Pangolin paws KTK-BELT PROJECT
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‘Before joining this project, I didn’t even know how to send an email. Now, I’ve helped build a plant database, launched an indigenous knowledge portal, and used advanced programs like Adobe Premiere, GIS, Autocad, and Kobo Toolbox. One day, I hope to be able to train other young girls interested in science and technology to pursue their careers.’ Ganga Limbu, 22 GIS, Conservation Research and Media Fellow
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Field visit in Habeli Outdoor Learning Center
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BELT FELLOWS PROGRAM The BELT fellows program was developed to recruit, train and build capacity of 60 youth fellows to lead in various areas of the project. Arresting rural out-migration is one of the core objectives of the project. A total of sixty youth will be supported to gain skills in different competences under the rubric of conservation and sustainable entrepreneurship. These skills will include design, eco-agriculture, media, IT, environmental policy, eco-tourism and hospitality, among other skills that will create youthful capacity across the BELT. In Yangshila (8), Kurule-Tenupa (1) and Koshi-Tappu (1), we want to support 10 BELT fellows for a period of one year with $2,000 / person for fellowship stipend for a year.
MINIMUM TARGET: $20,000 $2,000/ FELLOW/ YEAR
CSEB team
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Training of Pabitra Magar in Compressed earth brick production in Sindhupalchowk with Conscious Impact Photo: Johnathan Lee, Conscious Impact 12
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‘Ever since I was a child, I’ve been interested in building things. Unlike my sisters, I was always attracted to building tools. It was odd for a girl to be interested in construction in my village but I just couldn’t help myself. All I wanted to do, was build. It’s exciting to be a part of this project, because each day I’m learning more construction techniques from earth brick construction to carpentry to stone masonry. Although I only have second grade education, I am also forcing myself these days to learn how to use a measuring tape, scale, calculator in order to draw proper architectural drawings. I can’t deny that I feel like giving up on learning this everyday but I have continued with the hope that if I keep trying, maybe one day I will learn to read construction drawings and perhaps even make my own. ‘ Pabitra Magar, 26 Thumki village, Yangshila BELT Construction Fellow
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BELT FARMER PROGRAM KTK-BELT created this program in 2016 to target local farmers and build their capacity for conservation, obtaining in exchange commitments to mitigate poaching, land grabbing and habitat loss. We want to support the first 150 BELT farmers from Yangshila and Kurule Tenupa who have signed up with a commitment towards conservation, organic and sustainable agriculture. We want to work together with various national and international partners to provide trainings, seed support and facilities for the farmers. With $100/ farmer, they’ll receive basic permaculture training, bio-intensive farming training, yearly exposure visits, community seed bank training as well as training on earthquake resistant building.
MINIMUM TARGET: $ 15,000
Photos of all BELT farmers from Yangshila VDC
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OUTDOOR EDUCATION CURRICULUM To turn Yangshila’s contours into outdoor education learning landscapes, we’re working together with two volunteer outdoor educators to develop place-based modules for education. In order to implement this strategy, we will need to build trails and signages around the modules, train and build capacity of three teaching fellows and collaborate with three schools to turn their landscape into an outdoor classroom.
MINIMUM TARGET: $10,000 TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE: $4,000 TEACHING FELLOWS SUPPORT: $3,000 ($1,000/ FELLOW) BELT SCHOOLS: $3000 ($1000/ SCHOOL)
Possible interpretive point on the trail: Wild bee-hive was seen in the Simal tree, this tree looked quite big and old. So, it can be a place of comparative study of trees of different heights around the world such as the Red Woods in California.
Possible interpretive point on the trail: Different shapes on the old trees was observed .So, it can be helpful in giving the evolutionary information of the old log and teach the process of disintegration of trees to the students. For example, it can be assumed that many years later the log might become a diamond by compression from earth. 16
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Reshu Aryal with Durga Kattel speaking about the different interpretive points and the educational possibilities inherent in each point.
Termite mound found in the trail suggesting a possible pangolin habitat around and the interconnection between the two. KTK-BELT PROJECT
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‘After years of teaching, I finally feel like I’ve found my path. I never realized that as a teacher, I can teach math, science, physics in nature. I look forward to learning about ways in which I can bring nature into Yangshila’s classrooms and also kids into our Learning Grounds.’ Durga Kattel, 26 BELT Outdoor Education Fellow Durga Kattel leading a student group while explaining climate change issues in Kurule-Tenupa VDC.
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THE VERTICAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT MASTERPLAN
The Vertical University will have six major campuses, each at a different elevation and focused on a different theme. Each campus of the BELT will have its own community resource center, serving as a multi-purpose community space for research, education, demonstration, conservation, design, and many other uses. These resource centers will serve as the ‘mainframes’ where monitoring data can be synthesized. Small satellite stations will be outfitted in each of the campuses to monitor temperature, humidity, and other physical parameters, assisting with climate change research. These bio-stations will also have a user interface allowing community members to provide observational data such as bird counts. This past year, we identified the locations of the 6 campuses, defined the themes and even embarked on designing the campuses themselves. Each campus will contain small footprint guest houses in the form of micro-pods designed by the BELT studio design team. Storing seeds, which is a traditional practice, is critical for protecting against natural disasters and loss of agricultural biodiversity, which is extremely rich in eastern Nepal. In Situ conservation within the campuses along with arboretums will provide another means of seed conservation within the BELT.
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Map showing the diversity of the Vertical University and the six key anchor points KTK-BELT PROJECT
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‘Koshi Tappu is a true gem of Nepal. People travel here from all over the world just to catch a glimpse of a rare bird. But Nepali children and youth, even those who live nearby, don’t know about the biodiversity found here. Koshi Tappu Learning Grounds will teach thousands of youth about this incredible wetland and the global movements of hundreds of bird species that come here to nest.’ Raj Kumar Singh Koshi Tappu Bird Guide 22
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Raj Kumar Singh in Koshi Tappu Bird Reserve KTK-BELT PROJECT
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KOSHI TAPPU CAMPUS
Located at 67 meters above sea level, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai region of Eastern Nepal. It is also Nepal’s first Ramsar site established in 1976 and designated as a Ramsar site in 1987. It has been recognized as one of 27 important bird areas of Nepal. Around 485 bird species have been sighted in the area including watercock, Indian nightjar, dusky eagle owl, blackheaded cuckoo shrike etc. Along with the bird diversity, over 200 fish species have been recorded in the Koshi river and over 514 unique plant species have been identified in the wetland. Therefore, this area is rich with critically important flora and fauna. As the first location of the BELT campus, the site is located adjacent to the Koshi-Tappu Wildlife Reserve. The campus will function as a birds and aquatic research center equipped with birds observatory, classrooms, library, training hall and amphitheater, along with a residency and work space for researchers and artists. In terms of construction materials, only natural building materials are allowed in the vicinity of the park. Adopting a flood proof design, the architecture combines a lightweight bamboo structure resting on a stone gabion wall base. The triangular plinth rises above the ground acting as a prow of a ship to protect from flooding. The landscape intervention around the building is designed to become a biodiversity hotspot.
MINIMUM TARGET: $25,000 (PHASE 1) IDEAL GOAL: $50,000
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This project has been my dream for over 22 years. As a teacher, I’ve always dreamt of the day when I could take my students into the forest and make them understand the beauty of their surrounding landscape. Each day, I feel, we are getting closer to fulfilling this dream. Kumar Bishwakarma Teacher, Jansewa Primary School Director, Yangshila Permaculture Learning Grounds 26
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Raj Kumar Singh in Koshi Tappu Bird Reserve KTK-BELT PROJECT
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YANGSHILA CAMPUS
To turn Yangshila into a hub for biodiversity research center for endangered flora and fauna of the Chure region. Yangshila Biodiversity Research hub will include libraries, classrooms, research stations, herbarium, and artist residencies. Along with being a research hub for the Eastern Region, it will also provide educational infrastructure to the local community including libraries, classrooms, lecture halls. The masterplan of Nighure campus is developed to leave room for the planting of endangered trees and plant species. The buildings are aligned along a spine with the circulation beside it. The structures will be built using rammed earth techniques as well as CSEB. All structures will be built using local workers employing over 30 individuals in the duration.
Minimum Target: $50,000 (phase 1) Nighure Campus ($25,000) Tropical Community Seed Bank in Rangcha ($12,500) Temperate Community Seed bank in Maharajey ($12,500)
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Kurule-Tenupa is undergoing major water crisis and every day villagers are migrating out to other parts of Nepal due to the hardships. Along with reviving springs and recharging the rivers, I beleive that we need to reverse this out-migration trend. Lokendra Yakkha Farmer, Kurule-Tenupa Director, Tamur Learning Grounds
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KURULE-TENUPA CAMPUS
Between 2010 and 2015, more than 150 natural springs partially or completely dried in KuruleTenupa Village Development Council (VDC) in eastern Nepal. This has resulted in wide-scale out migration, loss of more than 25 species of fish which previously provided the main livelihood source to local fisherfolk or ‘Majhi’ communities, and agricultural and health challenges. The primary cause of this decline of spring systems is climate change in the eastern Himalayas, as communities are seeing higher incidence of torrential rainfall, in contrast with previous rainfall patterns where precipitation gradually accumulated to allow springs recharge during the monsoon. As a result, rainfall during the monsoon is not percolating into groundwater aquifers, causing them to dry out. The campus complex is envisioned as a large water harvesting infrastructure, where every roof and courtyards contributes to the water collection, that will be stored in underground tanks for the dry season. The programmatic breakdown will include an info point or meeting/ exhibit space, flexible classrooms for trainings, research spaces, office spaces and a library.
Minimum Target: $25,000 (phase 1) Ideal goal: $50,000
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Nighure exhibit 2016 with over 800 participants from the community of Yangshila VDC 34
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We are grateful to the following advisors and contributors: Eric D. Lemelson Sunandan Sen Dr. Karim-Aly Kassam, Cornell University Nayantara Kakshapati and Bhushan Shilpakar, Photo Circle Lynsey Addario, Photographer Priyash Bista, Mount Royal University Raghav Goyal Shanti Kumar, Janasewa Foundation Sujan Chitrakar, Kathmandu University Sheila Chellgren & Family Mingyuan Song, Yale University Asha and Sajjan Agrawal Yesha Gurung Subba Shirine Habash
Institutions Sidley-Austin Africa-Asia Agricultural Enterprise Probono Program Rainforest Trust ATREE Photo Circle Living Earth Institute Habeli Outdoor Learning Center Karuna Foundation Saraf Foundation for Himalayan Traditions and Culture Jansewa Foundation Phulmaya Foundation UIAA PBNF Lainsmith Memorial Fund CartoDB Leica Geosystems
Copyright 2016 KTK-BELT inc. For more information visit www.belt-project.org KTK-BELT PROJECT
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JOIN THE CHALLENGE