Parks vs. People: An Unresolved Conflict in Nepal
Lecture by Shradha Ghale

Protected areas make up nearly one fourth of Nepal. At a time when biodiversity loss threatens humanity, few can deny the importance of these protected forests and wildlife. However, large numbers of people who live near these areas belong to historically marginalized communities that depend on forest & river. How do conservation approaches affect such people? Does the dominant discourse of conservation take the needs of the poorest into account?

Shradha Ghale is a writer who lives in Kathmandu. Her articles have appeared in The Kathmandu Post, The Record, Nepali Times, and the Indian online magazine, The Wire. She has also worked with various national and international organizations on issues related to social inclusion, environment and natural resources, and disaster response. Ghale's first novel, The Wayward Daughter: A Kathmandu Story, was published by Speaking Tiger Books in 2018.