TIL BDR GHALEY
Thimphu
Bhutan has unveiled a major restoration initiative that seeks to rehabilitate up to 50,000 hectares of degraded forest over the next decade, backed by a goal to secure USD 50 million in blended financing.
The programme is designed to boost climate resilience, safeguard biodiversity, and promote sustainable rural livelihoods.
The restoration effort was formalized on 7 August through a four-way agreement between the Royal Government of Bhutan, Conservation International, the Bhutan Ecological Society (BES), and the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC).
It forms part of the Mountains to Mangroves regional partnership, which links Bhutan with Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to restore interconnected ecosystems stretching from Himalayan peaks to coastal wetlands.
“Bhutan’s future depends on the health of its natural ecosystems,” said Karma Tenzin, Director of the Department of Forest & Park Services under the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.
“This partnership honors our legacy of environmental leadership and strengthens our capacity to restore and protect the lands that sustain us.”
Under the agreement, the country will plant an estimated 10 million trees over the next decade, targeting degraded forest lands and priority watersheds.
It aims to blend science, policy, and community-led action to address land degradation and the mounting impacts of climate change.
Although Bhutan already maintains over 60 percent forest cover and protects more than half its territory, many forested areas are suffering from overuse, invasive species, and declining productivity.
“Most forested areas are currently degraded,” said Leki Tshewang, programme officer at BTFEC. “With this partnership, we aim to restore those areas into a forest by planting around 10 million tree saplings.”
The plan will also strengthen Bhutan’s constitutional mandate to maintain at least 60 percent forest cover in perpetuity. “The constitution mandating the conservation of forests is an amazing thing. It’s unprecedented around the world.
That influences Conservation International to try to help make that real,” said Dr. Richard Jeo, Chief Field Officer for Asia at Conservation International.
Securing sufficient funds for large-scale restoration has been a persistent challenge. The partnership seeks to address this through a blended financing approach combining public, private, and philanthropic contributions.
A comprehensive financing package and national restoration roadmap will be announced later this year, followed by the signing of a detailed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
“This agreement reflects the power of urgent collective action,” said Karma Tshering (PhD), Managing Director of BTFEC. “It will help align national ambition with global support for nature-based solutions.”
BES will lead community engagement efforts, mobilising local groups to participate in replanting, site monitoring, and sustainable forest product initiatives.
“This partnership sets in motion a shared vision for landscape restoration across Bhutan,” said Nawang Norbu, Executive Director of BES. “We look forward to working hand in hand with communities to bring degraded forests back to life.”
Launched in 2024, the Mountains to Mangroves programme has a regional goal of restoring one million hectares of land and planting one billion trees across the Eastern Himalayas.
The region harbours about 12 percent of global biodiversity and sustains the livelihoods of more than a billion people.
For Bhutan, the programme represents both a national environmental priority and a contribution to regional ecological security.
“Mountains to Mangroves is an urgent response to the shared challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss in the Eastern Himalayas,” said Dr. Jeo.
“This agreement positions Bhutan at the forefront of an ambitious regional partnership, demonstrating how a nation with a bold vision can scale restoration from its mountains to its rivers, setting a powerful example for the world.”
The initiative emphasize that restoration will be pursued alongside sustainable timber management, ensuring forests continue to provide resources for local communities without undermining ecological integrity.
“We have a lot of timber, but we need that timber for the welfare of the people,” said Karma Tshering. “While sustainable harvesting is ongoing, this project is going to restore as many trees as possible, nurture them, and ensure they grow into a good forest from which biodiversity and people can benefit.”
The restoration plan will not be confined to national parks or protected areas but will extend to community forests and other degraded lands. Conservation International will provide technical guidance to ensure that reforestation and agroforestry align with Bhutan’s broader conservation goals.
Bhutan has already demonstrated its restoration potential. A recent Conservation International study found nearly 800 hectares of land have been restored through past replanting efforts. The new target of 50,000 hectares will build on those successes, scaling up across all dzongkhags over the next decade.
Implementation of large-scale planting is expected to begin shortly after the financing plan is announced. The project will be instrumental in helping Bhutan meet its climate and biodiversity targets, while reinforcing its position as a global leader in environmental stewardship.
