Red panda

    The red panda lives only in the bamboo forest of the Himalayas, which makes it very vulnerable when this forest is threatened by deforestation. The Kolmården Foundation supports the Red Panda Network, which works on a broad front to preserve both the red panda and the forest where it lives.

    Threats to the red panda include poaching for its fur and other body parts used in traditional Asian medicine, the illegal pet trade, and stray dogs that hunt and kill the pandas and spread disease. The biggest threat, however, concerns the destruction of habitats in the form of deforestation and bamboo felling.

    That is why the Kolmården Foundation has been supporting the Red Panda Network since 2014, which works to preserve both the bamboo forest and the highly endangered red panda.

    New forest corridor creates safe passage

    An important part of Red Panda Network's work is about saving the bamboo forest from deforestation and thereby preserving and restoring the red panda's natural habitats. In eastern Nepal, in the so-called Ilar district, there is an area that is classified as particularly important as it functions as a biological corridor between the pandas in Nepal and the pandas in India.

    Unfortunately, human expansion has threatened this corridor, and it has been difficult for the pandas to move between these two areas safely. The Red Panda Network has purchased nine hectares of land that will be restored and converted into a safe forest corridor for the red pandas.

    Local Engagement Through Forest Rangers and Female Involvement

    To strengthen local engagement, forest rangers — known as Forest Guardians — are recruited from the local population. Their task is to patrol the area, monitor wildlife populations, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting both the forest and the species that live there. Part of Kolmården’s support goes toward employing female forest rangers, which promotes both gender equality and the community’s role in conservation.

    Simple Solutions Make a Big Difference

    A smart and practical initiative is the installation of energy-efficient stoves in family homes. These stoves require less firewood, which reduces pressure on the forest — but they also make a big difference for people by decreasing indoor smoke emissions and harmful particles. The result is better health and reduced environmental impact.

    Other efforts

    In addition, Red Panda Network carries out the following efforts within the framework of the project:

    • Provides training and assistance with the sale of local handicrafts, which provides increased income and empowers women.
    • Establishes nurseries for bamboo and medicinal plants, providing

    jobs and sustainable alternatives to forest products.

    • Distributes seeds and greenhouses and provides training to improve premises

    cultivation and increase family food production and income.

    • Offers local accommodation to tourists and educates families in ecotourism and nature guiding, increasing women's influence.
    • Provides training in making biobriquettes from dried biomass, which reduces wood use and air pollution, as well as provides income from sales.