Kathmandu, Aug. 9 -- Aryan Praja grew up hearing stories about the versatile chiuri tree that provided his Chepang community with food, honey, medicine, and was an intrinsic part of the culture.

Paja's village of Raksirang north of the East-West Highway in the densely-forested mountains of Makwanpur district once used to be covered by the Indian Butter Tree. Today, not much is left of the chiuri and with it the unique culture, cuisine and livelihood of the Chepang people.

"Our parents and grandparents told us about the value of chiuri but we neglected it, and moved away from our culture. My generation knows little to nothing about the trees," says 26-year-old Praja, who then took it upon himself to save what was left of the all-purpose ...