International Consultant For Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve Nomination

The Kangchenjunga Conservation Area in eastern Nepal represents one of the world's most significant mountain ecosystems, characterized by exceptional biodiversity, rich cultural heritage and strong community-based governance systems. The area provides critical habitat for globally threatened species such as the snow leopard and red panda, while sustaining the livelihoods, traditional knowledge, and cultural identity of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). Building on UNESCO's past engagement in the region, the Government of Nepal is advancing the preparation of a Biosphere Reserve nomination for KCA under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. The nomination process requires a rigorous, evidence-based, and participatory approach, including ecological and socio-economic assessments, spatial zonation, stakeholder consultations, and compilation of a comprehensive dossier in line with the MAB Statutory Framework.