I had heard much about Dawa Tshering Sherpa while working for WWF-Nepal, but only met him on 23 April 2003 in Lelep. He'd just been nominated, without contest, as first chairperson of the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council.

Born in Lungthung, Taplejung in 1949, Dawa dai attended the Lelep school until class five, after which he stopped to work on his family farm. He later joined the Nepal Army and studied privately and passed secondary school in 1974. A year later, his grandfather died, leaving him alone to fend for himself and his sister.

Dawa dai's civil-service phase began then. He was chief of the Border Administration Office, passed the public service exam, and was posted as Khardar in Panchthar, Taplejung, Birgunj, Olangchunggola, and Ilam.

In 2000, he decided to return home and work to conserve his district's abundant flora and fauna. When I met him, he had just taken the conservation area staff on a wildlife monitoring trip. He was appreciative of the staff, who had to work in difficult terrain, but was devastated to see the poaching occurring in the area.

Dawa dai's motto was to do as much as his knowledge, capacity, and authority would allow, for the area's unique resources.

During the project's turbulent past two years, Dawa dai was a capable leader and great motivator who adeptly handled his responsibilities and negotiated between the demands of the project, the locals, and the Maoists. His commitment was a factors which allowed the handover of the management of Kangchenjunga conservation area to the local people.

When I left WWF-Nepal in April 2004, Dawa dai wrote me a note saying that I would be missed by the people of Kangchenjunga.

Today, Dawa dai, I and many others will miss you and all else you could have done for Kangchenjunga.

Janita Gurung