Bhutan

Currently, their faith organizationthe Central Monastic Body of Bhutan (Zhung Dratshang)does not have a formal, nationwide land restoration program in place. However, there is a growing awarenes and interest among monastic leaders in engaging with environmental and ecological restoration, rooted in the Buddhist values of interdependence, compassion, and non-harming. Several individual monasteries acros Bhutan have begun taking small but meaningful steps. For example, Punakha Dzong has initiated riverbank plantation activities to prevent erosion, while some monastic schools in Trongsa and Bumthang districts are incorporating tree planting and organic gardening into their daily routines. These efforts are often led by local monastic leadership with the support of district administrations and local forestry offices. The organization is now exploring opportunities to scale these activities into a more coordinated, long-term restoration approach. Specifically, Potential pilot areas include sites around Talo Monastery in Punakha, Dodedrak in Thimphu, and monastic institutions in eastern Bhutan such as Trashigang and Mongar. Their vision is to link ecological restoration with spiritual practicecreating sacred spaces that serve both as environmental buffers and as sites for meditation, reflection, and ecological education. The organization is currently seeking technical guidance, interfaith collaboration, and support to build capacities among monks and nuns to engage in land stewardship that honors both cultural and ecological integrity. Additionally, competing prioritiessuch as infrastructure development or expanding monastic schoolssometimes result in unintended environmental degradation. Moreover, while monks and nuns are spiritually motivated to care for nature, there is a need to translate that motivation into practical, community-based action plans. Lastly, climate change impacts such as landslides, erratic rainfall, and drying water sources increasingly threaten the integrity of monastic lands, making sustainable management even more urgent but also more complex.