Langtang Ecotourism Project (LEP) in Langtang National Park and Helambu area is a small project aimed at building the capacities of local communities and micro-entrepreneurs living along the major trekking routes to manage the environmental impacts of trekking tourism (especially garbage, fuel use, pollution) as well as to promote cultural conservation and local benefits from tourism. Working with the national park and several NGOs, they have helped to establish 8-10 community organizations (committees) in the area, and together developed tourism plans for each of the 10 major villages in Langtang-Helambu. Many of these committees are now taking responsibility for village ecotourism management in their areas with zeal. They raise funds from their own pockets and as a portion of trekkers' food and lodging expenditures, and other income generating activities, to use for conservation and tourism activities. For example, some have improved trails, planted 17,000 tree seedlings to re-establish forests, built private and public toilets, committed to using kerosene for cooking in lodges, produced maps and information for trekkers, enforced their own policies against litter and beckoning trekkers to individual lodges, opened cultural museums, and so on.

LEP has provided small matching grants to help in the establishment of new projects, and hopes to help raise outside funds to help with others. Some of the planned activities include: management of garbage and human waste at a holy high altitude lake site, including construction of toilets; production of a trekking guide book to promote ecotourism awareness and encourage longer stays with village activities and information; development of a cultural museum; English language training; renovation of religious and cultural buildings; guide and porter training; establishment of handicraft sales outlets to benefit village women; and manyothers.

Nature of EPF support: Project promotion through print and electronic sources.

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