• Before 1950s, Nepal was renowned for its largely untouched forests.


  • After the eradication of malaria in Terai, Agricultural development started


  • The forest of whole Terai region and the wildlife they supported suffered from the huge migration of the hill people for settlement


  • In 1970 King Mahendra approved a conservation program initiating the establishment of Royal Chitwan National Park in Terai and Langtang National park in Himalayas


  • In 1973 Wildlife Conservation Committee was formed under the Chairmanship of then His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra


    • This was the beginning of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Era in Nepal
  • In 1980
    a separate Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation was created within the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation


  • Protected area management in Nepal received a real thrust in the 1970s.


  • The first organized approach to managing protected areas in Nepal dates back to the year 1973 by establishing Chitwan National Park.


  • Now, the protected areas in Nepal include 10 national parks, 3 wildlife reserves, 1 hunting reserve, 6 conservation areas and 12 buffer zones covering an area of 34185.62 sq. km that is 23.23% of the total area of the country.