Royal Society for Protection of Nature

What Royal Society for Protection of Nature does

Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) is a Bhutanese non-governmental organization established in 1987 under the Royal Command of His Majesty the Fourth King, operating as a Public Benefit Organization under the Civil Society Organizations Authority. Headquartered in Thimphu with 18 staff and a governance board of seven directors, RSPN delivers community-based environmental conservation programs across all 20 Dzongkhags of Bhutan. Its core service portfolio spans six thematic areas: Species and Habitats Conservation (notably the Black-necked Crane and critically endangered White-bellied Heron), Sustainable Livelihoods (climate-smart agriculture, water resource management, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and ecotourism), Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Environmental Education (including a national curriculum for classes IX and X), Waste and Pollution, and Wetlands and Freshwater conservation. Operations are anchored by dedicated facilities including the Black-necked Crane Education Center in Phobjikha (established 2001), the White-bellied Heron Conservation Center in Tsirang (established 2021), and the Haa Visitor Information Center for community-based ecotourism.

RSPN's underlying technology stack is modest and field-oriented: community-based conservation approaches, ecosystem-based solutions, climate-smart agriculture techniques, GPS tagging of juvenile herons, drone-based monitoring for species surveys, and generative AI tools used internally for proposal writing and dataset analysis. Royal Patronage from His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck provides intangible legitimacy no peer organization can claim, while 39 years of operating history and direct field presence create durable local relationships.

RSPN's business model is grant-dependent, with primary inflows from international climate finance (Green Climate Fund as Delivery Partner, Adaptation Fund as 39th National Implementing Entity, UNDP, GEF, JICA, BMUV/IKI) and bilateral/multilateral donors, supplemented by a USD 1 million endowment established in 2005, individual donations and membership fees, and ancillary conference hall rentals at its Thimphu head office (Heron Hall at 10,000 Nu/day, Red Panda Hall at 4,000 Nu/day, Thrung Thrung Hall at 8,000 Nu/day). RSPN is the only NGO in Bhutan holding dual GCF Delivery Partner and Adaptation Fund NIE accreditation, giving it exclusive direct-access channels to international climate finance. Its go-to-market is community-led: projects are implemented directly through field staff and community groups in coordination with the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Department of Forests and Park Services, and 40+ institutional partners including BirdLife International, WWF, IUCN, ICIMOD, and UNESCO.

Name

Royal Society for Protection of Nature

Legal name

Royal Society for Protection of Nature

Website

https://rspnbhutan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) is Bhutan's pioneer environmental NGO, founded in 1987, delivering community-based species conservation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and climate adaptation across all 20 Dzongkhags. It is the only NGO in Bhutan accredited as both Green Climate Fund Delivery Partner and Adaptation Fund National Implementing Entity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAEAJ

Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation & Natural Resource Management Technical Assistance

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Development & Technical Assistance

SECONDARYBPADALAK

Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Risk Management

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

Keywords

• Environmental conservation
• Species protection
• Climate finance
• Community ecotourism
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Thimphu

HQ country

Bhutan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Climate Finance: RSPN receives funding from international climate funds including Green Climate Fund (GCF) as Delivery Partner and Adaptation Fund as National Implementing Entity. Also receives grants from various bilateral and multilateral donors.
2. Donations and Membership Fees: Public donations and membership program with material benefits including equipment rental and library access
3. Conference Hall Rentals: Rental of conference facilities at RSPN Head Office including Heron Hall (120 seats), Red Panda Hall (20 seats), and Thrung Thrung Hall (50 seats)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RSPN is Bhutan's largest citizen-based conservation NGO, operating programs in species and habitats conservation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, climate-smart agriculture, water resource management, community-based ecotourism, and environmental education. It is the only entity in Bhutan accredited to both the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund (AF), managing climate finance projects while delivering conservation services across all 20 Dzongkhags (districts) of the country.

Product overview

RSPN operates as a conservation NGO offering multiple interconnected programs organized around six thematic areas: Species and Habitats Conservation (Black-necked Crane and White-bellied Heron protection), Sustainable Livelihoods (Ecotourism, Climate Smart Agriculture, Water Resource Management, Human Wildlife Conflict mitigation), Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation through Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund accreditation, Environmental Education, Waste and Pollution management, and Wetlands and Freshwater conservation. Supporting services include Conference Hall rentals, Membership programs, and Document/Publication access. The organization functions as a platform delivering both field conservation projects and climate finance management services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Species and Habitats Conservation Program
• Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Water Resource Management
• Community-Based Ecotourism
• Climate Finance Management
• Conference Hall Rental Services
• Membership Program
• Black-necked Crane Education Center
• White-bellied Heron Conservation Center

Quantifiable outcome

• Established White-bellied Heron Conservation Center with captive breeding success
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 January 2024New partnership for STEM education and conservation technology initiatives.
• AIT, RSPN and IMSLminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2019Tripartite MoU for academia-industry-civil society collaboration.
• BirdLife InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRSPN became BirdLife partner in 2016, collaborating on bird conservation initiatives globally.
• International Crane Foundation (ICF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership on black-necked crane conservation and exchange programs.
• WWF BhutanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on conservation programs and environmental protection initiatives.
• IUCNmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRSPN is recognized as IUCN official repository of documents in Bhutan.
• FAOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood and Agriculture Organization partnership on agriculture and environment.
• UNESCOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for environmental education and research programs.
• Tarayana FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on community development and social programs.
• Bhutan Youth Development FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development and engagement in conservation activities.
• Royal Thimphu CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining and professional services for capacity building programs including AI tools training.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MOAL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnership on climate-smart agriculture and food security.
• Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership on wildlife and forest conservation programs.
• NABUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman nature conservation organization partnership on crane conservation.
• ICIMODminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Centre for Integrated Mountain Development partnership on regional environmental issues.
• PHPA-I and PHPA-IImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPunatsangchhu Hydro Power Authority partnership on environmental mitigation and conservation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/royal-society-for-protection-of-nature

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Royal Society for Protection of Nature