Sustainable Water Source Management in Tshogonpa and Khaimanma villages, Lumang Gewog, Trashigang, Bhutan

Abstract

This paper describes about the study initiated on ‘water source management’ in the year 2008 to 2009 with the fund support from United Nations Environment Programme and technical guidance from Eco-Peace Leadership Center based in Kangwon National University, Republic of South Korea. The year-long study was initiated to ensure and instil a sense of awareness and self-responsibility in the mindsets of the communities of Tshogonpa and Khaimanma villages in regards to improving the state of environment through a planned water source management system. The study also tries to stress the importance of relationship between better livelihood and healthy environment and at the same time target at community preparedness and community responsibility. The study has reached and benefited more than 300 hundred low-income community of Tshogonpa and Khaimanma villages and school children and teachers in regards to environmental education, ideas and techniques of forest conservation, water source management, soil erosion and landslides. The paper begins by introducing the environmental situation of the country as a whole in connection to the study area. It then highlights the background of study and it focuses on finding the status of vegetation coverage and water sources, causes of landslides and their negative impacts. Then it describes the objectives and the methodology applied in carrying out the activities. It also emphasized on the major outcomes or result from the study, and recommendations as way-forward for undertaking future conservation programs