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UP-COMING EVENTS
MARCH 26th 2011
Promotional Event in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park
JUNE 2011
Rice Planting in Balthali Village
“In Western Culture we care about our environment and the cleanliness of
our cities because we learn it right from our first steps ... it’s part
of our lives, our education and our future ... What’s lacking in Nepal
is this elementary understanding about the importance of our environment
and how every little thing we do every single day impacts our
environment” – Quote from Jenny Lama - NETIF Advisor.
GET TO KNOW NETIF
Mrs. Sunita Vaidya
NETIF Treasurer
MD- Women Entrepreneurs Development Foundation (WEDF)
NETIF Board Members
FEBUARY TIPS FOR BETTER ENVIRONMENT
KEEPING OUR WATERWAYS CLEAN
If you live near a waterway, instead of throwing your rubbish into it,
leave it at your streets collection point for morning collection.
Rubbish picked up by street cleaners and transported to the dumping site
is much better than rubbish thrown in the River. Maybe one day
Kathmandu’s river will be clean again! Can you imagine that. Don’t
forget throwing rubbish in the river is ignorance!
If you like our tip, don’t just keep it to yourself, share it with your
neighbours and friends!
REMEMBER EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!
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Rhododendron Blossom Hike - 26th March 2011
 The
Rhododendron is the National Flower of Nepal and is one of the most
spectacular blossoms found in the Alpine and Sub-Tropical Regions. In
spring time the flower comes into full bloom and trees throughout the
National Parks are laden with red, bringing a new beauty to the
landscape. To celebrate the annual blooming of the Rhododendron, NETIF
is arranging a promotional trek into Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park.
The program will be a two day exploration of the KVCTT and other link
trails in the National Park with an overnight stay in the hill station
of Chisapani.
The hike will be including a cleanup program in the Nagmati Area, one of
the most important water sources in Kathmandu. Just below Mulkharaka is
found the water reservoir which is fed by the Nagmati River which
originates in the Dhap (Wet Lands) near to Chisapani and also the
Bagmati River which flows in from the other side. These are two of the
most important water sources in the National Park and preserving them
and spreading the message about their importantance is paramount to the
future survival of both rivers and the Kathmandu Valleys drinking water
supply. The other message that NETIF is trying to spread is about the
importance of preserving Nepal's National flower, the Rhododendron.
NETIF hopes to emphasise the importance of this water catchment area and
the flora and fauna found here.
The hike will also coincide with the Chisapani Tourism Event, where the
locals will welcome tourists to the area and highlight the culture and
rural way of life found in Chisapani, with the aim of promoting the
region as a major tourist destination. More Details of the event will be
published on our website soon. Be sure to Join NETIF on our next
adventure along the KVCTT....make new friends and discover new places.
Social Welfare Council Evaluation
The Nepalese Government Organization, Social Welfare Council (SWC) has
undertaken an evaluation study of NETIF’S NTOEDP (Nepal Tourism Outdoor
and Environment Development Project) The NTOEDP has come to the end of
its two year span and NETIF is moving on with the next phase of the
project. The SWC setup a two person project evaluation team to assess
the projects’ sustainability, how affective NETIF’s contribution to the
project was, the local community members feelings towards NETIF and the
Project, Project funds management and the overall aims and achievements
of the NTOEDP.
The two person team from SWC mainly focused their research and
evaluation on the areas of Dhulikhel and Nagarkot. They met with many
community groups, The Dhulikhel Chamber of Commerce, Nagarkot Naldum
Development Committee, Kavre District Development Committee, Local
Community Groups, Kavre Guides Association and the Gauri Shankar
Cultural Dance Group who are all associated with or supported by NETIF.
The feedback was positive from all areas and the SWC is now in the
process of preparing a final Evaluation Report which will be submitted
to NETIF on its completion. The report will be a valuable reference
point for NETIF to help work out which parts and areas of the Project
were a success and which ones need more work or re-thinking.
NETIF is an affiliated member of the SWC and receives the go ahead
permission for our projects from the SWC, so this Evaluation report is a
critical element to NETIF and our ongoing projects and our desire to
present the NTOEPD as a “Model Concept” project that can be used in
other similar or rurally impoverished areas of Nepal that could
potentially benefit from sustainable tourism.
Model Project – Experience and Implementation
Part of the aim of the NTDOEP which has now moved into its second phase,
is the concept that it will be used as a ‘Model Project’ which can be
implemented in other regions of Nepal that could benefit from local
tourism development. NETIF keeps an extensive range of reports and
documentation of the projects as well as constantly analysis its
progress and effectiveness of the actions, activities and promotion
undertaken.
Creating a ‘Model Project’ is all about experience, finding the right
way to go about things, networking and idea sharing with local community
members affected by the project and also alliance building with local
groups, government groups and other like minded I/NGO’s, Associations
and Tourism Stakeholders. Finding the right way and the most effective
solution is all learned from our experiences. By learning like this,
NETIF has the knowledge to best know how to implement its projects
through the experience we have gain during the NTDOEP. The idea behind
having a ‘Model Project’ is to make future transitions smoother for
other organizations wishing to implement similar tourism and environment
based projects in other regions of Nepal.
NETIF is in its growing and learning phase and we are continually
improving our Model Project to make it better every time we learn
something new.
Funding for the Future
 The New Year brought the great news of NETIF’S ongoing funding for the
next three year stage of our project. The next stage of the NTOEDP has
received approved funding from Suomen Latu, the Finnish Central
Association for Recreational Sports and Outdoor Activities and the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs - Finland. NETIF now has a limited budget
for the next three years for its project work. The Main areas we are
focusing on is strengthening our alliance building and networking to
move NETIF onto a larger National Scale with the right connection to
make positive actions on sustainable tourism and environment issues.
NETIF will now work more in the development and promotion of the Project
where the constructions and local level development will be taken care
of by Community groups, clubs and local stakeholders with NETIF’s
support and supervision.
NETIF is widening our net when it comes to alliance building and
networking and to be able to secure more substantial funding to for-fill
our ambitions we also need to seek alternative funding for the future.
Interested potential partners are requested to join with us to help with
our vision of “Better Environment for Better Tourism”. For more
information about funding NETIF you can contact us.
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NETIF is working in 2011 to create our ECO TOURISM
SOCIETY. Currently we are looking for expressions of interest from
individuals who would like to be a part of NETIF through this Club.
NETIF’s main objective behind the creation of our “ECO TOURISM SOCIETY”
is to help build NETIF’s size and influence within Nepal giving us a
louder voice when it comes to matters related to sustainable tourism and
the Environment. We desire to create a forum where we can use our
position to make important changes related to current environment
matters within the Kathmandu Valley and eventually throughout all of
Nepal. To do this the first step is increasing our size and our body of
members, and that means working with people just like YOU!