Kathmandu, April 2:

The Resources Himalaya Foundation (RHF), a research organisation working in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in Nepal, has been honoured with the ‘Creative and Effective Institution Award 2007’. The MacArthur Foundation of the USA confers the award.

According to a press release issued here today by the RHF, the MacArthur Foundation announced the award on March 29, and it will be handed over at a ceremony in Chicago on June 7.

The award carries a purse of Rs 2.45 million. The RHF has already carried over 150 research projects in Nepal and Bhutan and has prepared over 75 geospatial information on protected areas and ecosystem at various landscape levels in 20 years.

Dr Dinesh Bhuju, chief executive of the RHF, said: “The foundation aims to be a regional promoter of good science to facilitate politically correct decisions so that the nature in the Himalayas is secured.” He said that the major portion of the award money would be utilised in institutional strengthening.

The MacArthur Foundation this year awarded eight organisations representing America, Africa and Asia for their inputs to address world’s most challenging problems.