CHITWAN: More than 500 students from 22 districts across the country, who are actively working for the preservation of the environment and wild animals, have gathered to discuss the increasing poaching of animals and deforestation.

The students have gathered in Chitwan to mark the two-day-long national conference which will discuss the environmental and climate change, increasing trend of poaching and preservation of the forest and wild animals.

The conference will issue a Chitwan declaration for the conservation of environment and decide on the plans and policies for the preservation of national parks and wildlife reserves, according to the organisers.

The programme is organised by various environmental conservation non-governmental organisations and INGOs.

A rally was also organised prior to the conference for the preservation of wildlife and protection of the environment.

More than thousand participants from all walks of life had participated in the rally.