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NETIF
has been developing the Kathmandu Valley Cultural
Trekking Trail (KVCT) since the beginning of 2008.
The trail starts from Sundarijal and passes through
Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park before ending in
Panauti with possible overnight stops in Chisapani,
Nagarkot, Dhulikhel and Namobuddha. The area covers
16 VDCs of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Kavre districts.
The main
areas of action taken by NETIF along the Kathmandu
Valley Cultural Trekking Trail are awareness raising
and local Institutional development, small scale
community infrastructure, local capacity development
,conservation and alternative energy, networking
communication and alliance building, research and
survey. Almost all the activities were directed
towards mitigating the problems such as pollution,
energy conservation, waste management, natural
resource conservation, addressing the needs of
communities as well as tourists.
NETIF
has been addressing the issues of responsible
tourism in following way’s -
Pollution and Waste Management
NETIF has already completed more than 10 awareness
and cleanup campaigns throughout the project area.
It has placed more than 300 waste bins, 8
incinerators and 4 garbage management centers with
funding along the trail. Further, we have also
trained villagers and advocated village waste
management coordinators in areas where needed.
Working with the Municipality of Dhulikhel, NETIF is
developing a dialog with hotel managers, DDC’s and
locals for a long term waste management project
which includes rubbish bin placement and employment
of gardeners and cleaners in the area.
Energy and Conservation
Green Energy is the way forward for a better
environment. NETIF was played a part in the funding
and installation of 35 fuel efficient stoves and a
wind turbine in the project area. NETIF has also
implemented extensive community training in organic
farming and waste management. Last year, NETIF
planted more than 5000 plants throughout the trail.
In the near future we have plans to introduce high
value crops and eco sound farming methods to aid
villagers and also to establish green belts along
the trail. To help manage deforestation by
villagers, NETIF has also implemented a training
program and support network for Briquette making as
a renewable, sustainable source of energy for
heating, cooking and also as a product for sale.
Community Involvement
The active involvement of local community members is
essential to the success of NETIF’s projects. We
encourage and support involvement of all community
members throughout the project area. For example the
Village Garbage Management Fund is managed by the
local communities and even they have their partial
contribution to it. In addition to it, local skills
and expertise have been mobilized while constructing
the infrastructure and in the mean time, local
employment has been increasing through the
transportation of construction materials to the
trail. The local people's capacity has been enhanced
through the trainings such as ‘Small Hotel and Lodge
Management’, ‘Mushroom and off Seasonal Vegetable
Cultivation’, ‘Local Guide Training’, ‘Folk Dance
and Live Presentation’, ‘Corn Husk Training’ and
‘Basic Vegetable Farming’. NETIF’s training programs
also target and include women and marginalized
ethnic groups of the villages.
Natural Resource Conservation
NETIF's activities are also directed towards the
conservation of natural resources. For example metal
poles were used in the construction of incinerators
and tourists shelters instead of wooden poles. The
waste wood was reused to make signage and
information boards that where placed along the
trail. More than, 200 conservation of natural
resources awareness boards were also placed along
the trails. A simple map and guideline for tourist
and locals has been developed and placed along the
trail. In the future NETIF will make survey’s on
visitor flow and carrying capacity of the trail and
prepare a guideline for the operation of green
hotels in the villages.
Addressing the needs of local people and the
Tourists
For NETIF, local communities have always been the
entry point for any activities in any geographical
area. Their active participation and backup support
from various stakeholders is necessary for the
sustainability of the trail. Therefore NETIF has
constructed 2 multipurpose community centers
providing small tourism business development
trainings such as vegetable farming, lodge
management etc, to address the needs of local
community. NETIF's activities have also addressed
the needs of the trekkers travelling in the area. We
have constructed 10 tourist shelters, 3 public
toilet’s and 1 entrance gate. The trekking trail has
been upgraded and marked, brochures, maps and
hoarding boards have been published to address the
needs of the tourists.
Health and Awareness
NETIF has been sensitive towards the health and
awareness of visitors and host communities. It has
developed brochures and information boards that
create awareness among the tourists' health and
security while utilizing the trekking trails. The
brochures educate tourists what to do, what not to
do, what to carry, what and where to eat and about
the drinking water in the trails. Likewise, in the
future we plan to promote volunteerism and
internship programs in the health sector throughout
communities touched by the trekking trail.
Our work
through the trekking trail and project area is
ongoing and in the future we plan to keep developing
the trekking trail and extending to include other
villages, in cooperate home stay and farm stay
programs and also nature trails in Shivapuri -
Nagarjun National Park.
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