Biological Corridor 9

Biological Corridor 9 (BC-9) is the most recently established ecological corridor in the Kingdom of Bhutan, connecting Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) in Trashigang district with Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) in Trashiyangtse district. Covering an area of 216 square kilometres and stretching approximately 60.2 kilometres, the corridor was formally adopted by the National Assembly in November 2023, completing the Bhutan Biological Corridor Complex — a national network of ecological linkages that connects all of the country's protected areas into a single, functionally connected landscape.^[1]

Bhutan is widely recognised as a global leader in conservation connectivity. The country's constitution mandates that a minimum of 60 per cent of its land area remain under forest cover in perpetuity, and over 51 per cent of the national territory is designated as protected areas and biological corridors. The declaration of BC-9 increased this figure to approximately 52 per cent, reinforcing Bhutan's position as the Asian nation with the highest proportion of land under formal protection. The corridor network is a cornerstone of Bhutan's approach to biodiversity conservation, rooted in the Buddhist ethic of respect for all sentient beings and the national development philosophy of Gross National Happiness.^[2]

Background: Bhutan's Corridor Network

Bhutan established its first eight biological corridors in 1999 to maintain animal and plant movement and gene flow between the country's protected areas. The original network covered 3,660 square kilometres and connected all nine of Bhutan's national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and strict nature reserves. When Wangchuck Centennial National Park was established in 2008, three corridors were subsumed within the new park's boundaries, leaving a gap in the eastern portion of the network. Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the far east of the country, remained the only protected area without a direct corridor link to the broader system.^[3]

Through the Bhutan for Life initiative, launched in 2018 with support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Royal Government of Bhutan, all existing biological corridors were assessed for functionality and biodiversity. Individual conservation management plans were developed detailing the interventions necessary for each corridor to fulfil its ecological purpose. The assessment underscored the urgent need to establish a ninth corridor to connect Sakteng and Bumdeling, thereby completing the national network.^[4]

Geography and Route

BC-9 passes through parts of six gewogs: Toedtsho, Yalang, Khamdang, Bumdeling, and Yangtse in Trashiyangtse district, and Phongmey in Trashigang district. The corridor traverses a landscape of temperate broadleaf and mixed conifer forests, bamboo-dominated understoreys, and steep river valleys characteristic of eastern Bhutan. The terrain is rugged, with elevations ranging from approximately 1,500 metres to over 4,000 metres, encompassing multiple ecological zones from warm broadleaf forest to cool temperate and subalpine habitats.^[5]

The corridor's alignment was selected based on biodiversity surveys, satellite imagery analysis, and consultations with local communities. The route follows areas of minimal habitat fragmentation, taking advantage of intact forest cover and traditional land-use patterns that have maintained ecological connectivity between the two sanctuaries even before formal designation.^[6]

Biodiversity

BC-9 is home to exceptional biodiversity, including 124 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, and 227 species of plants documented during pre-designation surveys. The corridor supports several globally threatened mammal species, including the Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), the Asiatic wild dog or dhole (Cuon alpinus), and the Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens). The presence of these wide-ranging carnivores and their prey base underscores the corridor's importance as a functional ecological linkage rather than merely a designated zone on a map.^[6]

The corridor also provides habitat for numerous bird species of conservation concern, contributing to the exceptional avian diversity of eastern Bhutan. The forests within BC-9 contain important populations of rhododendron, orchid, and medicinal plant species, reflecting the botanical richness of the eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.^[5]

Community Dimensions

The establishment of BC-9 involved extensive consultations with communities living within and adjacent to the corridor. During parliamentary deliberations, members of the National Council raised questions about the implications of the corridor designation for local livelihoods, land use, and development activities. The government assured legislators that the corridor would operate under a management framework that balances conservation objectives with the rights and needs of resident communities, consistent with Bhutan's approach across its entire protected area network.^[7]

Community-based natural resource management, sustainable forestry practices, and eco-tourism development are envisioned as mechanisms to ensure that corridor designation brings tangible benefits to local populations while maintaining the ecological integrity necessary for wildlife movement and genetic connectivity.^[8]

References

1. "NA Adopts Declaration of Eastern Biological Corridor." Kuensel Online, November 2023.
2. "Protected Areas and Biological Corridors of Bhutan." Bhutan Biodiversity Portal.
3. "Connectivity in National Policies: Bhutan." Conservation Corridor, July 2023.
4. "Bhutan for Life Landscape." Bhutan for Life.
5. "A New Biological Corridor to Connect Parks." Kuensel Online.
6. "Biological Corridor 9: A Green Connecting Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary." WWF.
7. "National Council Deliberations on Biological Corridor 9." National Council of Bhutan.
8. "NC Quizzes Minister on Biological Corridor 9." Kuensel Online.