The Jautar Community Forest in Ward 3 of Pakhribas Municipality has developed into a centre for herbal conservation, biodiversity promotion, and eco-tourism, with plans to establish the area as a medicinal plant gene bank and model eco-zone.

Known for its picnic spots and natural beauty, the forest has increasingly focused on conserving medicinal herbs and promoting eco-tourism.

The lush forest is conserving and expanding valuable medicinal and herbal plant species, including Himalayan rhubarb, chiretta, Indian bay leaf, winter begonia, Indian madder, lemongrass, Himalayan fritillary, river astilbe, Indian valerian, andaliman pepper, Himalayan yew and dodder plant. The species are considered valuable in both traditional healing systems and the modern pharmaceutical industry.

The Jautar Community Forest Users’ Group has declared “Block Number-2” of the forest a special herbal conservation area. The collection of grass, firewood, and herbs, along with activities harmful to vegetation, has been prohibited in the zone.

Forest chairperson Bir Bahadur Titung said the management committee has prioritised the long-term conservation of rare and endangered plant species.

According to him, the forest is being developed not only for the conservation of greenery but also as a model centre for study, research, biodiversity observation, and eco-tourism.

“We are developing this area as an eco-zone. Visitors should be able to identify medicinal herbs, understand their uses and enjoy the natural environment,” he said.

Alongside medicinal plant conservation, the forest has also begun producing quality seeds. A seed production project involving patula pine plantation has been launched on around 2.5 hectares of land.

The Ministry of Forests and Environment has been using the area for research and seed production purposes since 2022.

For systematic management, the forest has been divided into different sections, including a conservation pond, playground, community building area, sample testing zone, Indian madder plantation area, broom grass farming area and chiretta conservation area.

The forest is also being developed as a picnic destination. Plans are underway to build community halls, rest areas, cooking spaces, walking trails and observation points, Titung said.

Information boards describing medicinal plants, their uses and conservation status are also being prepared with the aim of turning the forest into an “open natural museum”.

Located around three kilometres from Hile bazaar in ward 1 of Dhankuta Municipality, the forest receives daily visits from employees, students, forest users and the general public for study tours and picnics.

Varied entry fees have been fixed for various user groups, and the collected funds are being used for forest conservation and infrastructure development.

However, local residents and visitors say further infrastructure improvements are needed. Rajeshwar Bahadur Shrestha of Dhankuta said road access becomes difficult during the monsoon because of muddy conditions.

“If road access, drinking water and rest areas can be improved, this area could become one of the district’s best eco-tourism destinations,” he said.

He added that information boards mentioning the names, uses, and characteristics of each plant species in the herbal gene bank area would make the site more useful for educational visits.

Gyan Bahadur Gurung, mayor of Pakhribas Municipality, said many medicinal plants found in Nepal are increasingly at risk due to uncontrolled harvesting, deforestation and climate change.

“Community-level efforts to conserve medicinal herbs and establish gene banks can make an important contribution to preserving biodiversity,” he said.

Gurung said the forest, which combines natural wealth, rare medicinal plants, a peaceful environment and eco-tourism potential, is being developed not only as a picnic site but also as a model eco-zone linking conservation and tourism.