The Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT) is a non-profit organization that was established by a group of concerned river guides who recognized the ecological and cultural damage that was taking place on Nepal's rivers at an alarming rate.

Since its inception in 1995, the NRCT has worked towards conserving Nepal's Himalayan river system, preserving Nepal's cultural heritage and developing an environmentally responsible river tourism industry.

WHAT DOES THE NRCT DO?

The NRCT hosts the Annual River Festival and the Bagmati River Festival to raise the awareness among all river users about the need to conserve the river, and develop an economical and environmentally sustainable river tourism industry.

This year's Annual River Festival will be held in early December, 2003 and will incorporate adventure tourism activities, such as down river rafting races, with environmental education seminars and live entertainment. For those who want to have some fun and help save some of the world's most beautiful rivers at the same time, the event is not to be missed! For further information please contact us or keep your eye on this web site. The NRCT has drafted and is in the process of implementing an environmentally responsible Code of Conduct (link to code of conduct) for rafting in Nepal's rivers. The NRCT also holds river guide training workshops on environmentally sound rafting and camping practices guides who recognized the ecologicaland cultural damage that was taking place on Nepal's rivers at an alarming rate.

The NRCT studies the environmental condition of Nepal's rivers. It is the NRCT's long term aim to regularly monitor the environmental state of Nepal's entire river system. The NRCT has already completed environmental impact studies on the Bhote Koshi River, the Kali Gandaki River and the Trishuli River.

The NRCT runs conservation programs. Recent projects include cleaning up river campsites, and tree plantation exercises.

The NRCT runs community development programs, including supporting a public school in the local village of Jamune, along the Karnali River, developing and implementing an appropriate sanitation and hygiene program at the Jirpoo Secondary School.

The NRCT lobbies on a local, national and international level to improve the state of Nepal's rivers. Current campaigns include opposing the large scale damming of Nepal's best rafting rivers and placing the Karnali River on the World Heritage List.