NTNC Annual Report 2021 - Annual conservation report update - impact and resilience during Covid-19

Sep 18, 2026

National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) presents its 2021 Annual Report, covering FY 2020/21, and outlines conservation work amid Covid-19 disruption. Visitor numbers dropped dramatically, reducing revenue and limiting investment in conservation and protected-area communities. NTNC downsized routine programs, strengthened protection for threatened species, and advanced wildlife research, monitoring, patrolling, and wildlife crime control while promoting human-wildlife coexistence and green growth. Key milestones include Green Climate Fund accreditation and new initiatives such as the wildlife hospital and Adopt-an-Animal campaign.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages90

Reading Time3 h 47 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Covid-19 impacts on conservation and revenue

Program adjustments and on-the-ground actions

Partnerships, funding, and new initiatives

Commitment to biodiversity and SDG progress

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 National Trust for Nature Conservation © NTNC 2021 (FY 2020/21) Published by: National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal PO Box 3712, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977-1-5526571, 5526573 | Fax: +977-1-5526570 E-mail: [info@ntnc.org.np | URL: www.ntnc.org.np](info@ntnc.org.np | URL: www.ntnc.org.np) Editorial: Mr. Bikhyat Sherchan Mr. Ambika Prasad Khatiwada Photo credits: ACAP, BCC, BCP, Central Zoo, MCAP, SCP, GCAP, KCC Cover photo: Radio collaring of tiger in Parsa National Park, Photo by: Dr. Neil Carter, University of Michigan Back cover photo: Bhujung village, Annapurna Conservation Area, Photo by: Nicolas Cegalerba & Joanna Szwemberg/NTNC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 With activities largely affected by Covid-19, this year was another challenging year for conservation overall. Tourists and visitor numbers were at lowest points in recent history—overall more than 97 percent down compared to pre-covid times across NTNC-managed conservation areas. As a consequence NTNC’s revenue streams and its capacity to invest in conservation and in protected-area communities had to suffer tremendously. Our own resilience was to be tested. However despite the difficult times, we remained steadfast to ensure that the many decades of valuable work put in to nature conservation was not reversed. This was not easy, with depleting organizational resources on one hand, and with increased pressure on Nepal’s protected area management, arising from Covid- 19’s social and economic repercussions on people’s lives. Much of our regular programmes had to be downsized so that priorities could meet some of the more pressing issues of the day. On the ground we worked hard to ensure that protection measures for many threatened species and their natural habitats were not compromisedin anyway. This was backed by prioritizing wildlife research and monitoring capacities, forest patrolling and wildlife crime control initiatives, and human-wildlife coexistence-building measures. Together with this we continued to incentivize green growth and strengthen community resiliency, lobby with policy makers for wildlife-friendly futures, and build on collaborations and partnerships for nature and sustainability, both inside and outside Nepal. We signed the accreditation master agreement with the Green Climate Fund which opens up NTNC’s access to critical funding to improve Nepal’s capacity to respond to climate vulnerabilities and build future resilience and support systems. The nation’s first wildlife hospital dedicated to wildlife health, disease diagnosis and treatment was brought to operation. In response to the closure of the Central Zoo for a major part of the year, we started the Adopt-an-Animal campaign to develop public-to-personal accountability for zoo animals. Across our working areas we continued to invest in the effectiveness of community-based institutions. On the ground NTNC-led research innovations and findings keep delivering science-backed resources for the nation’s scientific community, conservation managersand policymakers. What has been very clear from our experience of the Covid-19 pandemic is that future partnerships and collaborative actions for nature are going to increasingly matter. To counter challenges that transcend borders and disciplines there is a need to develop greater consensus of the linkages between the health of humans, wildlife, natural environments and economies. Understanding the complexity of this sensitive interface between all life forms and their ecosystems will call for better acknowledging of the problem, leadership and collective resolve. And with climate-related exigencies becoming more and more explicit by the day, the way future societies and peoples mobilize, produce, consume, and create value will demand increased capacities and investments for green growth and clean technologies, while putting in place better disaster risk management and pr

FAQs

How did Covid-19 affect conservation in NTNC-managed areas?

Visitor numbers reached the lowest levels in recent history, dropping by more than 97% versus pre-Covid times. This reduced NTNC’s revenue streams and constrained its capacity to invest in conservation and protected-area communities.

What measures did NTNC prioritize despite reduced resources?

NTNC worked to avoid compromising protection for threatened species and natural habitats. It prioritized wildlife research and monitoring, forest patrolling, wildlife crime control, and human-wildlife coexistence-building.

What major partnerships and initiatives were introduced or expanded in 2021?

NTNC signed an accreditation master agreement with the Green Climate Fund to improve funding access. It also began operating the nation’s first wildlife hospital and launched the Adopt-an-Animal campaign in response to the Central Zoo closure part of the year.

Sep 18, 2026

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