Nepal Environment and Tourism Initiative Foundation (NETIF) is a non profit, Non-Governmental developmental organization. It aims at contributing the socially responsible, ecologically friendly and economically viable tourism management for the development in Nepal, by developing a model Trekking trail. It was founded in 2006 by a group of dedicated environmentalists and tourism entrepreneurs.

NETIF has been developing Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking Trail (KVCT) since the beginning of 2008. The trail starts from Sundarijal via Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park and ends at Panauti. The area covers Municipalities and 16 VDCs of Kathmandu, Bhaktpur and Kavre districts. The major areas of intervention made by NETIF in Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking trails 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.

Pollution and Waste Management
NETIF has already completed more than 10 awareness and cleanup campaigns throughout the trails. It has placed more than 300 waste bins, 8 incinerators and 4 garbage management fund in the trails. Further it has also trained people and advocated in the waste management in the trekking trails in various forums.

Energy and Conservation
NETIF partially supported in the instillation of 35 fuel efficient stoves and a wind turbine in the trail. In addition to it, it has also trained community in organic farming, and waste management and planted more than 5000 plants throughout the trail. In near future it has a plan to introduce high value crops and establishment of green belts along the trail.

Community Involvement
There is an active involvement of local community in the activity implementations. For example Garbage Management Fund is managed by the local communities and even they have their partial contribution in 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, basic vegetable farming etc. Most of the skilled people in the trail include women and marginalized ethnic groups of the village.

Natural Resource Conservation
NETIF's activities are also directed towards 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 and are placed along the trail. More than, 200 conservation of natural resources awareness boards are placed along the trails. A simple guideline for tourist has been developed and placed along the trail. In the future NETIF will make survey on visitors flow and carrying capacity of the trail and prepare a guideline for the operation of green hotels along the trails.

Addressing the needs of local people and the Tourists
For NETIF, local communities have always 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 provided 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. It has constructed 4 tourist shelters, 1 public toilet and 1 entrance gate. The trekking trail has been upgraded and marked, brochures, maps and hoarding boards have been published to address the need 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 in the trekking trails. The brochures educates tourists what to do, what not to do, what to carry what to eat, about the drinking in the trails. Likewise, in future it has a plan to promote volunteerism and internship program in health sector in the communities touched by the trekking trail.

NETIF's Procurement Policy
NETIF has been using recyclable office materials. Its letterhead is made from handmade Nepali paper. NETIF is in process of developing its procurement policies, where the purchase goods and services will be avoided from the firm where there is child labor, and that use hazardous chemicals that increase risks on human health and environment.

NETIF will continue to implement its activities in the year 2010 in the active participation with all the stakeholders of tourism development of Nepal. The project activities will be primarily focused on local capacity development, preservation of cultural and natural heritage, encouraging tourism entrepreneurs and corporate houses to practice responsible tourism, mobilization of school going children in the trekking trail for environment awareness, internship program for University students and further initiation of programs in tourism, environment and climate change. So it is worthwhile to say that NETIF's activities are initiatives towards responsible tourism in Nepal.

On the auspicious occasion of “The World tourism Day 2009’’ a one day workshop on Waste Management Issues in the Tourism Destination was organized in Nagarkot, where various tourism professionals, academicians, journalists and entrepreneurs were present and expressed their views and concern regarding waste management issues in the tourism destinations.

“The waste has become a serious problem in the tourism destination of Nepal and is more alarming in the hill stations such as Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Chisapani, Manakkamna, Tansen, Jiri and Namche bazaar etc, as these areas lie in high altitude and have comparatively low temperature throughout the year, resulting limited opportunity for the natural decomposition of wastes” says Arun Kumar Shrestha, the President of Nepal Environment and Tourism Initiative Foundation. Mr. Shrestha, further added that a single institution/person cannot mitigate the problem of wastes and there are no other alternatives than to work together and make a combine effort so that it can be minimized. Similarly, Dr. Suresh Raj Chalise, the Vice Chancellor of Kathmandu University stressed that the entrepreneurs should not be too smart only on making money from tourism rather; they should also take in consideration in the environment, health and sanitation of the area where they are operating their business. Likewise, Professor Sanjay Khanal, from Central Department of Environment Science, Kathmandu University highlighted the government policies and acts related to waste management in Nepal, and made a presentation on the case study of waste management in Sagarmatha National park. Likewise, Prof. Ananda Shova Tamrakar from, Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University made a presentation on vermi-composting as an appropriate tool to manage kitchen wastes. Mr. Nawal Kishor Mishra, from Department of Water Supply and Sewage made a vivid presentation on Waste Management- Methods, Tools and Techniques.
Ramesh Shrestha, form Central Department of Zoology,Tribhuvan University stressed on the combine efforts of stakeholders to manage wastes on the trekking trail. Mr. Bijaya Pradhan, Ex. Chairman Dream Nepal Travel and Tours, Chairman, Discover Nepal (NGO) suggested Nagarkot Naldum Tourism Committee (NNTDC) to develop Code of Conducts in the Environmental Issues so as to protect the degrading environment of Nagarkot.

Mr. Prasum Bajacharya, presented on the Bio Gas Plant as a tool to manage wastes. Likewise, research trainees, Isha Manandahr and Deepa Tuldhar from Kathmandu University made a presentation on existing waste management situation, problems and opportunities in Nagarkot and Dhulikhel. The other participants in the workshop were the participants were from Government of Nepal, Department of Sanitation, Kathmandu Metropolitan, Dhulikhel Municipality, Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), TAAN, NATA, PATA-Nepal, RAHAN, NTB, BTDC, NPDC,DDC Kathmandu, DDC Kavre, KMC, Dream Nepal Travel and Tours Pvt. Ltd. and Discover Nepal.

The ultimate aim of the workshop was to create an atmosphere where all the stakeholders can work in a consolidated form to create solid platform to manage the waste in Nagarkot and other similar hill stations of Nepal. The workshop was a regular activity of Nepal Environment and Tourism Initiative Foundation, which has been developing cultural trekking route around the Kathmandu valley with the support of Suomen Latu -Finland. So far NETIF has established tourist rest shelters, community house, waste collectors, incinerators, trekking trail promotion activities such as route marking signage etc. NETIF works through local partners called Tourism Development Committees along the trekking trail and has already implemented village clean up campaigns, trainings on waste management, tourism based business, micro enterprises development, handicrafts production, organic farming and other various capacity building trainings in the communities around the trekking trail.
The workshop was concluded by the formation of task force to manage the waste in Nagarkot. The program was conducted under the Chairmanship of Arun Shrestha, the President of NETIF and was hosted by Nagarkot Naldum Tourism Development Committee where as Dr. Suresh Chalise, the Vice Chancellor was the chief guest of the program. Likewise, the World Tourism Day was also observed in Mulkharka, Dhulikhel and Panauti in the initiation of NETIF through community cleanup campaign, plantation and workshop on organic farming.

Making The Change To Organic Farming and it's Benefits to the Tourism Sector,
Local Communities and the Environment

Our Nepal has been blessed with an incredibly diverse geography, ranging from the heights of the Himal, to the rugged mountain slopes, subtropical foothills and the fertile Teri. Nepal boasts some of the best biodiversity and natural beauty in the world. Couple this with our unique culture, many ethnic groups, languages and festivals, diversity in wildlife and simply unbeatable natural beauty and you have one of the most sort after tourist destination in the world!

This is the very reason why so many tourist travel to Nepal each year, which has created a country whose economic backbone is dependent on tourism. One can comfortably say that without our natural environment, those tourists would not come here and the economic state of Nepal would hence decline. Therefore it is vital that we all work together to preserve our environment. It’s essential that the tourism sector start looking at the environment as our “product”, something we must not only sell and market, but also look after with view to a sustainable future.

Currently, there are a number of factors that are causing environmental degradation, air pollution, water pollution, deforestation and natural imbalance. One of the reasons behind this is the practice of inorganic farming in rural Nepal. Though chemical farming may increase productivity and income for the farmer, the use of chemicals and pesticides causes damage and infertility not only to soil, natural vegetation, native animals and water pollution; it also creates health problems to the farmers themselves and people within the communities.

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29th World Tourism Day 2008
“Tourism Responding To The Challenge Of Climate Change ”

On the occasion of 29th World Tourism Day 2008, Nepal Environment & Tourism Initiative Foundation (NETIF) with support of Suomen Latu – Finnish INGO organized a clean – up campaign on 25th September 2008, Thursday at Shivapuri National Park area – Milkharka to Sundarijal Bus Park.

Different clubs, officials from the Shivapuri National Park office, women’s group, tour operator, Hotel Association member, students from Kathmandu University, executive board members of NETIF, Discover Nepal (NGO – STN Member), Dream Nepal Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd. (STN Member), Kantipur Television, Kantipur Saptahik, AV News Television, Sagarmatha TV, KEEPS FM – 98.3 and others joined in the clean up campaign.

One of the objectives of this clean up campaign was to promote the trekking route via Sundarijal – Chisapani – Nagarkot – Dhulikhel – Namobouddha, which named as Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trail and to create awareness amongst the local people of the impact on the environment.

To make the local people aware about the impact of the environment, which plays an important role in the tourism sector should be thought very carefully. So the conservation & protection of the environment is very important.

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