Lamjung District lies in the Gandaki Zone of Western Development Region. It is an ancestral land of Indigenous Gurung Communities. Lamjung is also inhabited by other indigenous communities like Tamang, Magar, Newar, Hyolmo, Bhujel, Chepang, Kumal and Dura. Indigenous Peoples’ occupy more than 70 % of the total population of the district. Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities has been entrusted by its partner organization Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education (TEBTEBBA) to carry out a case study on “Traditional Practices and Customary Governing System of Indigenous Peoples’ for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Management” in Khasur Village which is the demonstration area of NEFIN Climate Change and REDD Partnership Program since 2010.

As a part of the awareness raising campaign and as well as to celebrate the World Environment Day (WED) 2011; NEFIN Climate Change and REDD Partnership Program, District Forest Office, District Agriculture Development Office and District Soil Conservation Office, Lamjung jointly organized plantation program in the areas adjacent to Janajaagriti Secondary School of Khasur Village. 123 participants participated in the plantation program.

Mr. Homnath Thapaliya, Chief District Officer; Mr. Jamindraman Ghale, Chairperson of Communist Party Nepal (UML) of Lamjung District; Mr. Sudip Bhandari, Deputy Superintendent of Police; Mr. Kishor Prasad Pantha, Senior Officer of District Agriculture Development Office; Mr. Diwakar Maskey, Officer of District Soil Conservation Office; Mr. Ram Kaji Shrestha, Officer of District Forest Office; Mr. Saroj Pandey, Officer of District Energy Office; Mr. Bal Bahadur Thapa Magar, Chairperson of Nepal Magar Association, Lamjung; Ms. Amrita Chepang, Chairperson of Chepang Association; Mr. Nanda Bahadur Ghale, Prinicipal of Janajaagriti Secondary School; Mr. Prithviman Ghale, Chairperson of Khasur Community Forest; Ms. Prem Kumari Ghale, Station Manager of Radio Marsyangdi; Mr. Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, Climate Change Monitoring and Information Network (CCMIN) Officer; other guests; villagers and school students attended the celebration of WED; and planted 1000 saplings including Laakuri (Fraxinus Flori Founda), Lapsi (Cheroxbonpondix Axilaris), Rittha (Spinbux Muaoroxi), Bagaino (Melia Azedarapx) and Chaap (Miphelia Phampata).

Most of the speakers in the program stressed on the importance of healthy forests for our quality life; the urgency to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation; and also highlighted on the dire need for adaptation against climate change. Mr. Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, CCMIN Officer shed light on the impacts of climate change and implications of REDD on Indigenous Peoples’.  The celebration of WED is fruitful in three ways. First, tree plantation program provided the platform to convene major stakeholders to interact on the issues Climate Change and REDD for the first time in the district. Second, Indigenous Peoples’ of Khasur Village and its neighboring villages were informed about the issues of the ongoing climate disasters during the program. Third, plantation of 1000 saplings to celebrate the WED themed “Forests: Nature at Your Service” with the participation of Indigenous Peoples’, Indigenous Peoples’ Leaders, District Senior Officers and students and the committee.