A 37-year old man died on May 17 when he plunged down a cliff while combating a raging forest fire at Chaskar in Mongar. The wildfire, which has already consumed around 300 hectares, began in the late hours of Thursday; May 14.The focus of the fire was in a ravine …

The Tashi Yangyel Community Forest Management Group of Genekha gewog in Thimphu fined one of its members Nu 40,000 on May 16 for violating the by-laws of the Community Forests Management Plan (CFMP). The defaulter, Rinchen Khandu from Wangbama village, had signed an agreement with the community forest management group …

The Royal Bhutan Police (RPB) in Thimphu arrested three people for possession and illegal transaction of controlled substances in the span of one week. A 32-year-old man from Trashiyangtse was arrested on May 14 from a hotel in Phuntsholing when a clandestine informer reported to the RBP that a DCM …

The Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP) officials under the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS) rescued Dawala, a two-month old Takin calf last Saturday from Tshachu area in Gasa. The rescued calf was brought to the Takin preserve in Motithang and is being tended to by the experts to …

Cordyceps exporters and traders will be paying higher royalty to the government from the next collection season (2013). This is if the proposal of the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS) to fix the royalty rate for all Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) at 10% of the market value comes …

Thimphu police arrested a 24-year old university graduate and a 21-year old class XII drop-out on 13th May after they allegedly burgled a Damchen Impax showroom in Olokha, Thimphu. They were arrested on charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools and criminal damage to property, according to a police department …

Food Corporation of Bhutan will instead import vegetables for vendors “There is no vegetable import ban, the story of there being a Ban on the import of vegetables is not true”, said the Agriculture and Forest Minister Lyonpo (Dr.) Pema Gyamtsho. The minister said that the Food Corporation of Bhutan …

Spring is a season of opportunities for Bhutanese nomads living in the northern fringes of the country. But the opportunities are hard-earned. Cordyceps (“Yatsagunbub”) collectors don’t have it easy when they go looking for the “fungus-worm” but then they are not ones to give up easily. Preparation is done many …

Ecotourism had never been explored as an alternative community-based livelihood option in Royal Manas National Park (RMNP) except since 2010. With a population of about 10,646 people representing 1,026 households and enriched with diverse natural settings, rich culture and traditions plus biodiversity, RMNP has always been a potential ecotourism destination. Realizing …

Dzongkhag forestry officials (DFO) from the 20 dzongkhags reviewed achievements and discussed issues encountered during the implementation of the 10th Five Year Plan (FYP) with officials of the Social Forestry and Extension Division (SFED) of Department of Forests and Park services (DoFPS) in Thimphu yesterday while also charting a path …