𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

…𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔-𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒄𝒐-𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑

By Tashi Tshewang

The Bhutan Glory Wildlife Trail (BGWT), initiated by the Dzongkhag Administration of Trashigang, is emerging as a unique “green classroom,” blending biodiversity education with ecotourism development. Nestled in an ecologically rich landscape, the trail is home to both Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory, Bhutan’s national butterfly, and the Bhutan Glory, a species first described in Bhutan in 1873. This rare coexistence makes the trail an exceptional site for hands-on learning and conservation work.

To deepen understanding of the area’s biodiversity, three youths have been engaged in a year-long, multi-disciplinary study. The team includes two students from Sherubtse College, one specializing in Life Sciences and the other in Data Analytics, and a trained forester. Their collaboration represents a new approach to practical education, allowing diverse academic streams to work together on real-world challenges.

The initiative addresses a pressing gap in Bhutan’s education system, where students often graduate with strong theoretical knowledge but limited exposure to field research. Life Science graduates, for instance, frequently enter teaching roles with little hands-on experience. Programs like the BGWT provide students with practical skills they can later share with their own students or communities.

On-site, the youths learn to use essential biodiversity research tools such as EpiCollect, a mobile data-gathering app, and SW Maps, a GIS/GPS software for mapping and geospatial data collection. While the forester was already trained in these tools, the students gained technical competencies that directly apply classroom theory to fieldwork.

Beyond academics, the initiative empowers students to envision alternative livelihoods by collaborating across disciplines. Their experiences today could support biodiversity conservation, enhance local ecotourism, and strengthen environmental stewardship in the long term.

Kuenlag Gyeltshen, Assistant Economic Development and Marketing Officer, Trashigang Dzongkhag Administration, said, “We initiated the BGWT as a green classroom because we noticed a serious gap between theory and field experience. Many graduates leave college with strong academic foundations but little exposure to hands-on research. At the same time, this trail is ecologically unique, one of the few places where Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory and the Bhutan Glory coexist.

We wanted to transform this natural richness into a living laboratory where youth can learn by doing, while contributing to nature-based development.”

The long-term vision for the BGWT includes supporting conservation planning, developing youth skills, and fostering future eco-tourism opportunities. The trail is designed to function as a continuous biodiversity monitoring site, producing valuable data for conservation while keeping youth actively engaged in fieldwork, mapping, and data collection. It also aims to serve as a niche eco-tourism attraction through responsible guiding and nature interpretation, generating local income and promoting environmental stewardship.

To expand this vision, partnerships with schools and colleges will be strengthened, while collaboration with conservation agencies will ensure scientific guidance and monitoring standards. Local communities will also be involved in training guides, ensuring that conservation learning translates into sustainable livelihoods.

Nima Dorji, Assistant Forester, Kanglung Beat Office, said, “The trail’s ecological significance is highlighted by Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory, an iconic butterfly species that helps attract eco-tourists to eastern Bhutan. Although Bhutan Glory wasn’t recorded during this survey, we can enhance its population in the future by planting host species that attract it.”
He added, “We follow a trail transect method, observing species within five meters on either side of the path up to Mongling Goenpa Temple near Yonphula Airport. With limited forestry staff, engaging youths in surveys is vital. They help with data collection, report generation, and conservation awareness, strengthening practices while building future human resources.”

Students’ experiences along the trail highlight the transformative potential of hands-on learning. Life Science student Sonam Rigden shared, “Before joining this study, I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of taxonomy or observing animal behavior, which are modules I haven’t studied yet. Being in the field helped me connect classroom theory with real-world situations. Learning to use SW Maps, the GIS app, and proper camera techniques significantly improved my technical skills.”

Sonam added that this experience will be useful if he chooses to become a tourist guide, and for future teachers, it makes leading students on similar studies much easier. The research also adds practical experience that enhances career prospects.
Data Analytics student Jigme Phuntsho focused on studying the distribution and diversity of butterflies along the trail. He explained, “We collect data using SW Maps and EpiCollect, recording species names, GPS locations, date and time, photographs, and habitat types such as forests, rivers, and open fields. We analyze the data using Excel and Python visualizations to study distribution, species diversity, and seasonal patterns. This helps identify important habitats and understand environmental factors affecting butterfly presence.”

Despite challenges like battery drainage, low internet connectivity, and camera limitations, Jigme said the experience provided invaluable practical skills.

“I learned to operate apps, collect and upload data, track maps, and navigate the trail. Data analytics in biodiversity helps identify rare or endangered species, determine preferred habitats, and inform eco-tourism strategies. Ultimately, this knowledge can guide butterfly conservation, support researchers and photographers, and even lead to dedicated butterfly-watching trails, attracting eco-tourists and fostering sustainable tourism.”

The Bhutan Glory Wildlife Trail is more than a research site; it is a model for integrating education, conservation, and livelihood creation. By bridging classroom learning with real-world ecological practice, it equips youth with practical skills, encourages environmental stewardship, and enhances the growing eco-tourism landscape, ensuring that the next generation of conservationists and educators are well-prepared to protect the country’s unique natural heritage.