Karma Tshering

Dr. Karma currently serves as the Managing Director of BTFEC. Prior to this role, he worked as a freelance consultant for nearly eight years in the fields of conservation and ecotourism, following a distinguished career of over 20 years with the Department of Forests and Park Services.

He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD from the University of Sydney, specializing in conservation and sustainable tourism.

Dr. Karma began his career as the National Tiger Coordinator under the Department of Forests and Park Services, a role that provided him the opportunity to travel extensively across Bhutan. A firm believer in incentive-based conservation, he played a key role in promoting nature recreation and ecotourism programs within the department.

Some of the notable highlights of his career include serving as a voluntary militia officer for nearly five years, conducting tiger surveys in the grasslands of Nepal, undertaking internships in several iconic national parks in the United States, and evaluating tourism campsites in the Serengeti and Masai Mara as a National Geographic evaluator.

A proactive leader, Dr. Karma founded the Bhutan Sustainable Tourism Society (BSTS), creating a platform for like-minded individuals to support and promote sustainable tourism in Bhutan.

His professional affiliations include:

• Board Member, Asian Ecotourism Network
• International Evaluator, National Geographic and Beyond Green (promoting green travel)
• Chair, IUCN Green List Program of Bhutan