Chure-Bhabar Region of Nepal

Chure-Bhabar Region of Nepal

The Terai region is a lowland region in the southern belt covering only 17% total land area of Nepal and about 48% of population live in this geographical region. Terai is full of different rivers mainly originated from high Himal and high Mountain. The Terai region itself is divided into 3 different regions namely Siwalik (Chure) region, Bhabar Pradesh region and Inner Terai.

The Churia or Chure (Siwalik) range rises sharply from the plains of Terai along the whole northern border of Nepal and extended from east to west in 33 districts. Chure is bordered by the Mahabharat range in the north and by the Bhabar and Terai in the south. The north of the terai region rises the narrow but continuous forest belt called Bhabar belt about 8-10 km running into the east to west along the foothills of the Shiwaliks.

The Chure-Bhabar region elevation ranges from 120 meters to nearly 2,000 meters consist of 26% of the Natural forest of Nepal. Of these forests, 3% is conifers (Chir pine), 83% hardwood (Sal forest and tropical mixed forest) and 14% mixed Chirpine and hardwood. The Siwalik hills composed loose materials originated from soft rocks, mudstones, sandstones, siltstone, shale, etc. Soils are mostly formed on sedimentary rocks with shallow and rough-textured soils.

The Chure region is spread from east to west together with the Bhabar region covering 13% of the total land area of the country and has approximately 60% of the total population. Nearly 60% of the Chure-Bhabar region is covered with forest. This belt is the water reservoir of the country and is rich in biodiversity too. Basically, the Bhabar region is comprised of pebbles that are brought down by rivers. This region is vulnerable to natural disasters such as landslides, erosion, flood and climate change and some anthropogenic factors like clearing of forest for cultivation, overexploitation of timber and forest products, uncontrolled grazing, excavation and extraction of sand and gravel, etc. per the estimates, 6,05,000 million cubic meters of sand, gravels, and stones are extracted every year from this region. Illegal excavation and extraction are assumed as twice as legal extraction.

Chure, Bhabar, and Inner terai collectively form Chure-Terai Madesh Landscape (CTML). CTML extends from east to west touching all seven states of Nepal; is a hotspot of biological diversity and recharges groundwater. The CTML represents 3 ecoregions, 9 forest types, 8 Important Plant Areas (IPAs), 14 Important Bird Areas (IBAs), 4 Ramsar sites, and 7 protected areas. This region is the habitat of 10 endemic, 6 protected and 3 Vulnerable (IUCN category) plant species. It is the home of 8 endangered and 15 protected mammals. Forest degradation, Habitat loss, poaching, and illegal hunting, illegal trade of threatened and endangered wildlife, etc are the major threats to the biodiversity of this region.

Chure-Bhabar region provides several ecosystem services to local people's livelihoods, has direct influence on the quality of the environment and has a high contribution to the regional and national economies. The Government of Nepal (GoN) has declared Chure landscape as Chure Environmental Protection Area in 2014, and also given special attention for curia conservation since 1970 (Fourth Five Year Plan)  and started Rastrapati Chure Conservation Programme with NRs 250 million years marked budget from the fiscal year 067/068 because of the high social-ecological importance of the Chure Bhabar region. The Ministry of Forest and soil conservation is leading and implementing Rashtrapati Chure Conservation Programme in 27 northern districts of Siwalik range through Department of Forest and Department of Soil and Watershed Management.

The Chure-Bhabar landscape linked with Middle mountain and Indian border, it should be addressed and conserved in a holistic and sustainable way respectively. There is a need to introduce new scientific ways of conservation and management of this region.