༄༅། ། རྒྱལ་འཛིན་རང་བཞིན་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་ཚོགས་སྡེ།

Royal Society For Protection of Nature

Inspiring personal responsibility for environmental conservation since 1987

RSPN is the only NGO in the country accredited with the Adaptation Fund (AF) as a National Implementing Entity (NIE) and with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a Delivery Partner (DP) RSPN is the only NGO in the country accredited with the Adaptation Fund (AF) as a National Implementing Entity (NIE) and with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a Delivery Partner (DP)

Call for White-bellied Heron Research Proposals: 2017-2018

As part of the ongoing “White-bellied Heron Recovery Plan Project” RSPN would like to invite funding proposals from enthusiastic researchers to carryout research work on various aspects of the critically endangered White-bellied Heron across its natural habitat range. We welcome proposals pertaining to social, environmental and ecological aspects of the heron. Top 8 proposals will be awarded Nu. 35,000.00 (Thirty-Five Thousand) each, however we will consider additional support depending on the project.

For 2017, focus areas include:

  • Punatsangchu basin from Sunkosh, Tsirang till Lhamoizhingkha, Dagana
  • Mangdechu basin from Tingtibe till Panbang or Manas region
  • Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Serichu basin in Mongar

Please submit your proposals in RSPN format at rpradhan@rspn.local

Please download the Application format Here

Last date for submission is 12 noon, 30th November, 2017.

Please note that the following research areas have already been covered in the past:

  1. Assessment of local people’s awareness and perception on threats to White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) along Punatsangchu: Impact of awareness programmes.
  2. Land use change effect on habitat and white-bellied heron population by hydropower project along Punatsangchu.
  3. Vegetation structure and species composition in nesting and roosting habitats of white-bellied herons along the Phochu River.
  4. Influence of forest fire frequency on nest-site selection and nest-use by white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis) at Athang gewog under Wangdiphodrang Dzongkhag.
  5. Vegetation structure and composition of forests along the dry slopes of Burichu, Punatsangchu valley – a nesting site for the critically endangered white-bellied heron.
  6. Assessment of forest fire impacts on white-bellied heron habitats along Bertichu, Zhemgang Dzongkhag.
  7. Habitat preference by white-bellied heron along Bertichu, Zhemgang Dzongkhag.
  8. Feeding frequency and dietary composition of white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis) along Punatsangchu basin.
  9. Population and Distribution of White-bellied Heron in Bhutan, 2013
  10. Acoustic monitoring of White-bellied Herons in Bhutan.

For any inquiries please contact Rebecca Pradhan, Ecologist, RSPN at 02-322056 or 17629881