CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY & DELIVERING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

The pressures on Important
Bird Areas are affecting their
ability to continue delivering
ecosystem services. Some
services, such as recreation
and tourism, are being
delivered well, but others are
not, or are in decline.
In 2011, an assessment of the status of Nepal’s Important Bird Areas (IBAs) showed that nearly
half of them (13) are considered to be in a very unfavourable condition, three more than in
2004, meaning that less that 40% of the area of key habitats or populations of key bird species
remain. Furthermore, it is clear that some threats are worsening, with nearly three-quarters of
IBAs believed to be subject to high or very high pressures owing to human activities. However,
positive responses are increasing too, with the majority of IBAs receiving some protection,
management or conservation action compared with fewer than two-thirds in 2004 (see figure
and p.34 for information on monitoring IBAs).
The protected IBAs have, in general, lower pressures and better responses than the
unprotected sites, as assessed in both 2004 and 2011. However, despite increasing responses
through conservation actions, the state of birds and habitats at both protected and
unprotected IBAs has not improved.
The state of IBAs, pressures upon them, and responses in place in 2004 and 2011
Status
2004
Pressures
2004
Status
2011
Pressures
2011
Responses
2004
Responses
2011
SOURCE Analysis of data held in BirdLife’s World Bird Database (2012).