Bardiya, Solukhumbu & Sindhupalchok: The PODONG Initiative, implemented through the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Climate Change Partnership Program, has successfully completed the documentation of Indigenous cultural heritage and biodiversity in selected villages of Bardiya, Sindhupalchok, and Solukhumbu. The initiative adopted a Community-Based Monitoring and Information System (CBMIS) approach to support systematic, Indigenous-led documentation and biodiversity assessment.

The CBMIS documentation was conducted between 2 August and 6 September 2025 in Bansgadhi Ward No. 4 and 5 (Bardiya), Simpal Ward No. 1 and Bodgaun Ward No. 11 (Sindhupalchok), and Chheskam and Mamerku Ward No. 3 (Solukhumbu), with active participation from Indigenous leaders, customary leaders, knowledge holders, youth, and women from the respective communities. Coordinated by researchers Dawa Tenji Yolmo and Arun Rai, the documentation covered a wide range of cultural and natural heritage, including temples, monasteries, mani walls, chortens, as well as natural resources such as rivers, streams, canals, forests, herbs, stones, and sand. The process also recorded biodiversity, including birds, medicinal plants, animals, insects, and other culturally significant species. The initiative contributes to strengthening Indigenous knowledge systems, enhancing recognition of Indigenous heritage, and supporting evidence-based engagement in conservation and climate-related processes.