Every April, eastern Nepal’s Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale region sees a rush of tourists, arriving for the vibrant spring bloom of rhododendrons, the country’s national flower. The flowers have now become more than a photo backdrop; they’re part of a new, unregulated market for a “souvenir:” Unlicensed rhododendron liquor. Sold openly in reused bottles with handwritten labels, the rhododendron alcohol market operates without health testing, official tracking or sustainability monitoring, Mongabay contributor Mukesh Pokhrel reports.
The Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale (TMJ) region is home to at least 26 species of rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.). It has seen a massive post-pandemic tourism surge, with local officials estimating 500,000 visitors arrived from April 1-15 this year.
For some families, the seasonal sale of flower-based alcohol provides supplemental income. “Tourists want something unique from here,” said Denga Lama, a resident who produces the liquor at their home. “People buy the alcohol because it reminds them of the flowers and mountains.”
Forests within the TMJ region, where rhododendron plants occur, are largely managed as community forests. Nepal’s conservation laws prohibit commercial harvesting from community forests without approval. However, legal ambiguity regarding rhododendrons grown in private gardens has left officials uncertain about enforcement.
When asked about bottled rhododendron liquor, Division Forest Officer Megh Raj Rai told Mongabay it was the first time he had heard about it. Rai said that if the liquor is being produced at large scales, the lack of oversight poses potential public health risks.
Certain rhododendron species contain grayanotoxins, neurotoxins that can potentially be fatal; although, the risks depend on what part of the plant is consumed and its preparation. Moreover, not all species carry the same amounts of toxins and hybridization between species may produce plants with undetermined toxin levels. The souvenir rhododendron liquor bottles haven’t undergone laboratory safety testing for toxins, Pokhrel reported.
Botanist and biodiversity researcher Kamal Maden warned that the commercialization of these flowers could have long-term ecological impacts. While community forest groups fine tourists for plucking flowers, there is little oversight of commercial-scale harvesting for alcohol production.
“The local administration should investigate where the flowers are coming from and whether harvesting levels are sustainable,” Maden told Mongabay.
Rhododendron plants are already under pressure from climate change, which is shifting blooming cycles due to prolonged droughts and late snowfall, according to Indra Bahadur Khadka, chairperson of the Chaite Community Forest in Tehrathum, a district in eastern Nepal. Research from the western Himalayas has recorded significant shifts in rhododendron blooming times linked to warming temperatures.
Maden said the TMJ region is already dealing with waste, flower picking and unmanaged visitor pressure. “There should first be a clear conservation management plan before expanding tourism infrastructure further,” Maden said. “Otherwise, we risk increasing pressure faster than local communities and forests can handle.”
Read the full story by Mukesh Pokhrel here.
Banner image: Rhododenrdron flowers in bloom. Image by Nirmal Dulal via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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