Sacred Tsum Valley: improving biodiversity conservation with lessons for effective management of protected areas in Nepal

During the past two and a half decades, community-based conservation has been introduced in Nepal under the influence of global biodiversity and conservation policies. This develop - ment was spurred by the emergence of ‘Indigenous Peoples’ and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCA)’ (see Dudley, 2008; Borrini-Feyerabend et al., 2010; IUCN/ CEESP, 2010) and urged to take actions for the recognition and promotion of Sacred Natural Sites (SNS) (see Schaaf, 2003; Wild and McLeod, 2008; Verschuuren et al., 2010). Both gained legitimacy through various international decisions and programmes that helped create the legal foundations for the recognition of diverse conservation practices in Nepal (see IUCN, 2003a, 2003b, 2004, 2008a, 2008b, 2012, CBD, 2004, 2009, 2010).