If the beauty of nature were the measure of economic wealth, Nepal would be the richest country on earth. Here several of the world's ecological zones meet, creating a landscape of extremes. The land rises from subtropical forests at near sea level to the highest mountains on earth, the Himalayan, and nourishes an immense variety of flora and fauna.

For centuries, Nepal's rugged mountain terrain isolated the land, preserving hundreds of species of animals and plants that have disappeared elsewhere on the globe. During the past few decades they have begun to disappear from Nepal as well.

The Challenge
Though rich in Nature, Nepal is economically one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Its resources sometimes fail to provide even the most basic necessities of life for its people- and their needs place a heavy burden on the environment. Unless those needs are met, the natural heritage of Nepal may vanish from the earth, never to return.

The Future
The goal of The National Trust for Nature Conservation is to preserve the natural heritage and in so doing, to achieve a high quality of human life. The Trust works closely with many international organizations.

The problems of conservation are complex, the solutions seldom obvious. But for the sake of future generations, the problems must be solved.