Manaslu Conservation Area, declared on December 28, 1998, is the fourth and the youngest conservation area in Nepal. His Majesty's Government of Nepal has handed over the management responsibilities to the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation for the next 10 years. This is the second Conservation area the Trust is managing, the first one being the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Since 1986, Nepal adopted a new and innovative approach in protected area management. Instead of dislodging the local people of the region for the sake of biodiversity protection, conservation areas enhance to make the local people responsible all natural resources in the region as its custodian. People, therefore, become both the principal actors and beneficiaries and are entrusted to see that the resources are utilized in a sustainable manner to benefit future generations.

The novel concept of integrating local people in the conservation and sustainable use of resources was first initiated in the Annapurna Conservation Area. The Annapurna Conservation Area Project launched by the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation in 1986 has successfully demonstrated that conservation and development can be mutually complementary to each other to meet both the environmental concerns and basic human needs of the local people.

The King Mahendra Trust started its field programs in the Manaslu region from January 1997 through the Manaslu Eco-tourism Development Project under the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank to His Majesty's Government's Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation - Second Tourism Infrastructure Development Project. One of the objectives of the Manaslu Eco-tourism Development Project is to improve the capacity of Manaslu area to support tourism in an environmentally benign manner.

Manaslu, a mountainous region in north Gorkha district, has a fragile natural and cultural environment. In order to conserve the unique environment and extremely rich biodiversity, Manaslu was designated a protected area status of a "conservation area".

This extremely remote area has been neglected in terms of development infrastructures, which has directly affected the livelihood of the people. The local people have been deprived of the benefits of proper access - bridges and trails. Most of the 56 villages do not have safe drinking water supply or electricity. Education and health services are almost non-existent. Since no other economic opportunities are available, they have to depend on marginal agriculture, animal husbandry and exploitation of natural resources for survival. As agriculture cannot sustain their livelihood, a high dependency on natural resources is constantly straining the capacity of the ecosystem. Tourism, due to the restricted area status of the six VDCs adjoining the Tibet Autonomous region of China, is limited to 1,000 trekkers per year, but, due to the difficult terrain and the need to go in organized groups, only about 60 percent of the quota is subscribed. The local people do not enjoy the benefits from even these low numbers as the groups have to be self-sufficient in all their requirements before they start the journey from Gorkha.

The Manaslu Conservation Area has a lot to offer the trekkers. From the beautiful scenery of the majestic Himalayan ranges and high altitude glacier lakes, the culture is equally attractive and rich as most follow the Buddhist religion. The region possesses a rich cultural heritage with several large Buddhist monasteries like Shringi Gompa in Bihi, Mu and Rachen Gompas in Chhekampar. Local examples of the harmony between religion and environmental conservation can be seen throughout the region, as Lamas from monasteries have prohibited the locals to hunt wildlife. This has helped the wildlife to prosper and is a prime habitat for the elusive snow leopard, gray wolf, musk deer, blue sheep and the Himalayan Thar.

The King Mahendra Trust is implementing various field programs in the region to motivate and mobilize the local people to take a lead in managing their own resources. The local Conservation Area Management Committees are entrusted with the responsibility of managing the natural resources of their respective regions to get optimal benefit from utilization done in a sustainable manner.

On the tourism front, the programs in access improvement focuses on trails and bridges. A STOL airstrip is to be built to facilitate the increase in number of visitors. Community campsites are being constructed and sign posts are being placed along Larke pass route. The local lodge owners will the trained in the operation of a eco-friendly lodges along the major trekking route. Information posts have been established in Arughat and Jagat.

Under the alternative energy programs, three micro-hydro electricity units are to be installed in Prok, Lho and Samagaun villages. Two kerosene depots have already been established and the third is to be established.

In order to motivate and involve the community, the community development programs have already initiated village trail improvements. The local villagers have started to stone pave their village trails. Drinking water schemes are being implemented. Similarly, agriculture improvement programs are being undertaken to improve the yields. General health services will be strengthened and local students have already been sent to training centers to get health worker training.

As women are the major force in any environmental and developmental efforts, special focus has been given to make the women organized into a more cohesive and influential groups. They are being integrated in the management of natural resources. Special health programs are being conducted. They have been educated on the benefits of personal health and hygiene and child health. Training on vegetable farming and other additional income generation are being initiated. Adult literacy classes is being implemented.

As cultural heritage conservation plays a very pivotal role in the motivation of the local people of the area, special programs to help in the setting up of a monastic school are underway. Though the programs at this stage is not geared to step in to restore the monasteries, programs on improving the available facilities are being implemented. Toilets and drainage around the gompas are being constructed. Monk quarters are being repaired.

The research component aims to keep data on the biodiversity and the socio-economic conditions in the region. Therefore, documentation process in on-going in order to record the change in the physical, as well as, on the general welfare of the local people.

As in ACAP, the main backbone of all the programs is Conservation Education. Extensive extension programs are underway to motivate the local people so that they are an integral part of any undertaking of the project. Without their active participation and support, no program, however novel or well designed is going to achieve the success that is desired.