After converting their community forest into Rehabilitation Park in 2016 to earn some income, villagers of Bangtsho chiwog in Dewathang Gewog were left wondering why tourists are not visiting their park. Villagers haven’t earned any income from the park so far.
About Nu 3 M was funded by Market Access and Growth Intensification Project (MAGIP) and Forest Department of Samdrup Jongkhar gave technical support to convert the community forest into Rehabilitation Park.
The Park is developed within 200 acres of forest. Villagers thought they would earn some income by collecting a modest amount as entry fee from visitors but no one visited the park so far.
“With the help of government we converted it into park for tourist and till now no one has visited it, even then we are maintaining it. I think tourist don’t come here since it is a remote place,” Gyeltshen Wangdi, Farmer, Bangtsho Chiwog, said.
“We have made a park but there are no visitors, in my opinion, I think we are lacking in some policy and managing it. We need to manage it well and let people know about our park by informing them,” Wangda, Farmer, Bangtsho Chiwog, added.
And without any visitors, some of the infrastructures in the parks are getting damaged. Door latches of toilets are stolen and resting places are surrounded with bushes.
According to a senior ranger of divisional forest office in Samdrup Jongkhar, the park is already handed over to the villagers, the villagers have to manage it and they will help whenever necessary to explore it.
The Park has 8 kilometres of hiking area through the forest and one watchtower. It is located 12 kilometres away from Samdrup Jongkhar town towards Trashigang.
