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I remember my first encounter with a Meconopsis betonicifolia (Himalayan blue poppy). It wasn’t in a perfect, well-known garden but on a rocky, exposed trail in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal. There, at over 13,005 feet, this delicate, stunning blue flower seemed impossible, standing out against a backdrop of harsh gray rock and constant wind. It wasn’t just a plant, rather it was a conversation starter about resilience. The poppy’s survival, along with that of countless other species in this mountain nation, raises a crucial question for all of us: What do we lose when we allow the world’s unique and fragile ecosystems to disappear?

Nepal often evokes a single, iconic image of Sagarmatha, with which many associate specially in America and Europe. It’s called the roof of the world, the ultimate challenge, a symbol of human endurance. Yet defining Nepal by its peaks misses the deeper story. The true ‘roof’ of Nepal is not just the snow-covered summit of Sagarmatha; rather it is the rich layer of life that covers its valleys, hills, and high-altitude slopes. Nepal isn’t just a geological wonder rather it is a botanical treasure of a biodiversity hotspot nestled between the giants of China and India forming home to many plants found nowhere else on earth. This biodiversity includes 3.2 percent of the world’s flora and 1.1 percent of its fauna, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC, 2025), representing Nepal’s forests. This isn’t just a nice travel story, rather it’s a wake-up call. Nepal’s rich plant life is under threat, and the importance of protecting it expands far beyond the country.

The global conversation about climate change and environmental protection has focused on large-scale crises like deforestation in the Amazon, melting polar ice caps, and coral bleaching for decades facilitating global warming and climate change. These are important issues, but they can feel distant and abstract, even for those who recognize their importance. The struggle of a ghost orchid in a Nepali forest or a rare rhododendron might seem trivial compared to these problems. However, it is in these small, local issues that we are losing the global battle for biodiversity.

There are 465 species of lichen, representing 2.3 percent of global diversity, 1,822 species of fungi (2.6 percent), 1,001 species of algae (2.5 percent), 1,150 species of bryophytes (8.2 percent), 534 species of pteridophytes (5.1 percent), 26 species of gymnosperms (5.1 percent), and 6,973 species of angiosperms (3.2 percent), according to the Government of Nepal/Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (GoN/MoFSC, 2014). The flora of Nepal isn't just interesting for researchers while it supports local communities and holds great potential for global health. These are traditional ayurvedic medicine, still widely used today, that rely on wild plants from the Himalayas. Over 700 plant species in Nepal are known for their healing properties. These aren't just local remedies but also genetic blueprints for future drug discoveries. One of them is taxol, a chemotherapy drug derived from the bark of the Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan yew) tree. Its discovery represented the enormous and often hidden value of various plant species. How many more ‘taxols’ remain untapped in the remote forests of Nepal?

The global market for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is worth billions, and Nepal plays a significant role, supplying raw materials to countries like China and India. This trade is still mostly unregulated and often depends on informal collectors who harvest unsustainably, which threatens the survival of valuable and rare species while providing little economic benefit to local communities. The loss of a plant is not just a loss for a botanist which directly affects the livelihood of a farmer, a healer, and a child’s future.

Some might wonder, “If the situation is so serious, why aren’t the Nepalese government and local people doing more?” This is a valid question, and the answer is complicated. In a country where many live in poverty and face daily struggles for survival, sustainable conservation can seem like a luxury. The immediate need for firewood, food, and income usually overshadows the distant goal of saving a rare plant. This isn’t about lack of will, rather it’s a problem with the system. Policy solutions must recognize this reality. We can’t just ask people to stop harvesting plants. We need to create an economic model that makes conservation a desirable choice. This means equipping local communities with the knowledge and resources to grow rather than merely collecting medicinal plants and investing in community managed forests by establishing fair trade cooperatives that provide a stable income for those who look after the land. 

The international community, including policymakers and consumers, needs to get involved. When you buy herbal supplements or essential oils, do you know their origins? We must ask for transparency and support companies that source their products responsibly. We must urge our governments to invest in international partnerships focused not just on aid, but on building sustainable and friendly economies. This change in thinking is crucial. It shifts the conversation from “what are they doing wrong?” to “how can we all improve?” It turns the issue from an abstract environmental disaster into a real chance for global cooperation and ethical trade.

Nepal’s natural legacy goes beyond its mountains; it exists in its soil, forests, and air. This legacy belongs to all of us, a shared resource for medicine, culture, and wonder. The effort to create a vibrant, healthy Nepal requires a different kind of ambition than climbing a mountain. It pushes us to look beyond the obvious and appreciate the intricate beauty hidden in its valleys and on its slopes. We must understand that the flora of Nepal is not just a backdrop for adventure, but it is central to the country’s history, present, and future. We aren't just saving a few rare plants by protecting them. We are preserving the genetic library of a delicate ecosystem, a potential source of cures, and a valuable lesson in how humanity can coexist with the natural world. This is the new Everest we must all aspire to climb.

Distraction doesn’t always come with noise. It doesn’t always pull you into  chaos. Sometimes, it comes gently through something beautiful, something  new, something that simply feels different. You may not even realize its  presence at first, but over time, it begins to erode your focus, disconnect you  from your roots, and lead you down a path where you slowly forget what you  once worked so hard to build. Distraction can kill you from the inside not  instantly, but gradually, and often quietly. 

Imagine a flower, deeply rooted in the soil. She has grown there, watered with  care, nurtured with love, strengthened by the patience of time and the hope of  sunlight. Slowly, she begins to bloom a result of all the effort, waiting, and  quiet resilience. But one day, as she stands tall in her garden, a gentle breeze  passes by. It brings with it the scent of freedom, the idea of movement, and a  taste of something the flower has never felt before. She sees butterflies float  by with such grace. She sees the sky not just above her, but as a dream she  longs to touch. She begins to wish to fly, to leave the stillness of the soil, to  wander in the wind. And so, she prays for the wind to take her, to carry her to  joy and freedom. 

When the wind finally comes, she is ready. Excited. Without thinking of where it  might lead, or what she might be leaving behind, she lets go—of her stem, her  leaves, her roots. She lets herself be carried by the breeze. And for a while, it is  beautiful. The feeling of lightness, of flowing freely without any weight, without  any responsibility. She feels seen by the wind, loved by its touch. She even whispers gratitude, saying, “You made me feel free. You reminded me what it’s  like to be alive.” The wind, in that moment, becomes everything she thought  she was missing.  

But in chasing that moment, in leaving behind her grounded life, she forgets  something important: the time it took to grow. The care it took to survive. The  foundation that made her bloom in the first place. The flower does not realize  that while the wind can carry her for a while, it cannot hold her forever. The  roots she abandoned were what made her strong , what gave her life. The  distraction ,sweet, freeing, seductive, pulled her away from herself, and by the  time she sees the truth, it may be too late. 

This is how distraction works in our lives too. It arrives in the form of things we  think we need: people, experiences, or moments that offer quick joy or a  temporary escape from our reality. But in following that fleeting feeling, we may  detach from what grounds us. We may leave behind values, discipline, peace,  or even love all in search of something more exciting. And while there is  nothing wrong with change or curiosity, it becomes dangerous when we  abandon ourselves in the process.

Distraction doesn’t always look like destruction. Sometimes, it looks like  freedom. And that’s why it’s powerful. But we must remember: not everything  that feels good will help us grow. And not every breeze that touches us is  meant to carry us away. 

Supriya Paudel  

BBM VI Semester  

United College

The government has formed a high-level probe commission to investigate the incident that occurred during the Gen-Z protests on September 8 and 9.

A Cabinet meeting held on Sunday made the decision to this effect, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal informed.

According to him, a three-member commission was formed under the headship of former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki.

Former AIG Bigyan Raj Sharma and legal expert Bisheshwor Prasad Bhandari are the members of the commission.

Home Minister Aryal said that the commission has been given three months time to submit the report.

At least 72 people died and over 100 injured in clashes with security personnel during the protests led by Gen-Z against corruption and the government’s decision to ban social media sites.

Manoj Silwal has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority.

A Cabinet meeting held on Sunday made the decision to this effect.

Similarly, the meeting has decided to appoint NEA Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya as a senior officer  at the Water and Energy Commission.

He was appointed as the Executive Director at the NEA on March 24.