Mountain Environment: Importance & Conservation

June 10 2010

Presented by: E-mail: arjunlimbu@hotmail.com Mob. 9841-323842

ARJUN KUMAR LIMBU, Program OfficerKathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP)

Importance : Mountain Environment

Importance: why?Conservation: How?Interaction: Q/A

Why? BenefitsISAS(Information Search & Analysis Skill)

Life Betterment.Knowledge is Power.Skill is a tool.

Use your Power to use Tool.

Presentation Topics

About Nepal Mountain Geography.

Mountain Importance

Mountain Opportunities

Threats & CHALLENGES

Mountain Conservation

Mountain

steep, sloping sides and sharp or slightly rounded ridges and peaks.

-3500 m (SNOWY) – 600 m -1500m -2500m-About 1/5 world's landscape, -homes at least 1/10 world's people. -Tallest known mountain -solar system is Olympus Mons, located on Mars.-mountains under the surface of the sea-Highest Mountain Range: Himalayan-Longest : Andes of Mountain

-Himalaya = Andes = Rockies = Alps = Karakoram

ABOUT NEPAL: GEOGRAPHY Elevation : 60 - 8848 m

Geographical Division : 3 geographical zones-

Mountainous & Hilly (75%), Plain.

HKH Region. Young Mountain-Australia

Immense Altitudinal Changes Climatic Great Variations Diversity of Ecosystems: Rich many high altitude plants medicinal

economic value of mountain people (Yarsa Gumba)

Now, we are here

How Mountain Formed?

Mountain Importance: Cultural

• Unique Indigenous Culture, life-style125 languages spoken in Nepal (Summer Institute of Linguistics)

Mountain Importance: Tourism• Tourism- Development: local income

(BHTMC- tell tourists the indepth of indigenous culture, knowledge,

tradition) • "The expansion of tourism to villages will contribute more to the

economic development.” (Ninth Plan of HMG pg 64)• Over 80 percent of all visitors come for holiday / pleasure or trekking

/ mountaineering purposes • Major contributor to Nepal's economy: US$170 million annually

463,646 - in the year 2000 (MoCTCA 2001) • Provides direct and indirect employment for over 300,00015% of

total export earning. (Nepal Tourism Board 2001) people• Major earner of foreign exchange dollars and represents

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: • One of Asia’s most rich biodiversity. No biodiversity: No life-Food

chain

• wide range of altitude has contributed to abundant and diverse ecosystem, species and genetic resources.

• home of 2% of world’s flowering plants.

• 4% of the world’s mammals (the largest population of one horned rhino is found in Royal Chitwan National Park).

• 8% of the world’s bird populations, among which the Spiny Babbler is found only in Nepal.

• Out of an estimated 1,000 species of indigenous medicinal plants approximately 700 species have been identified.

OTHER UNIQUE FEATURES:• Eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains found in Nepal

• The world’s deepest gorges—the Kali Gandaki named after the ferocious goddess Kali, which is also Nepal’s very best river for white water rafting.

• Tilicho Lake (at 5,099m) north of Annapurna is one of the highest lakes in the world.

• In terms of hydroelectric power, Nepal has the world’s second largest hydroelectric power potential

• Nepal has two natural and eight cultural sites listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO

• Two Natural Heritage Sites are: Sagarmatha National Park and Chitwan National Park.

• The eight Cultural Heritage Sites are: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swoyambu Nath, Pashupati Nath, Baudha Nath ,Changunarayan and Lumbini.

• Nepal—the largest figure declared for conservation in any country.

• 16 Protected Areas in Nepal, i.e 18% of the total area

• There are currently nine National Parks, three Wildlife Reserves, three Conservation Areas and one Hunting Reserve.

Mountain importance

• Climbers and tourists visit them for the scenery.

• Farmers graze their animals on them. • Water authorities make reservoirs and pump

the water to towns and cities. • Forestry companies grow coniferous forests

and harvest wood on them.

Mountain Importance: Water

• Water-power for life: hydroelectricity, drinking, Water Towers of Asia,

• One of the World’s richest• Nepal Major economy -cultivation.• Third Pole• Fresh water

Locals Dump Waste in Syabru Besi

Dumping Site at Dhunche

GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICEWASTE GENERATION AND DISPOSAL

Protection of waterways

• In Dhunche, the drainage doesn’t reach river system

• Syabru Besi, few hotels at the Bank of the river discharge their waste water into the river system

• But in Syarbu Besi, though they dump their waste on the river bank they are planning to build a incinerator,

• In Gosainkunda during high season, the waste water seeps into the lake.

• In Phedi, the toilet is directly flushed into the stream

Dumping Site Under Construction in Syabru Besi

Beer Bottles at Lauribina

Mountain Environment: Threats

• Mountain systems are sensitive to climate change

• Small change has large scale effects,

• Unpredicted river flows, frequent floods, droughts and crop failures

• Others include, landslides, land degradation, desertification, GLOF ( Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding)

• Five GLOF events are known to have occurred in Nepal between 1977 and 1998. In August 1985 a GLOF from the Dig Tsho (Langmoche) glacial lake destroyed 14 bridges and caused about US$ 1.5 million worth of damage to the nearby completed Namche small hydropower plant.

GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)

EDMUND HILLARY

Deforestation

Mountain Environment Threats:

WASTE DECOMPOSITION

At HIGH ALTITUDE NOTHING decomposes Batteries contain very pollutant toxic

products and cannot be RECYCLED in Nepal

REDUCE canned food products

• Develop mountain by preserving its environment.

"Leave nothing but footprintsTake nothing but photographs." old phrase

"Leave nothing but MemoriesTake nothing but local products." new

-arjun June 112010

Mountain Environment: Opportunity

Case Study: Khumbu region• Annual Visitors: Approx 50,000• Average waste disposal of 50-60kg/km2

• On Average, a lodge in Namche Bazaar produces 15,000 empty beer bottles per year.

• Heavy forest cover damage• Alteration in traditional cultural practices• Deterioration on traditional values• Despite the availability of kerosene and LPG, there is a

high dependence on forest resources for energy supply. It is estimated that in Langtang, locals consume 20-40 kgs of firewood per day while an average lodges use around 30-40 kgs per day (Banskota et.al, 1998).

Distributing Tourism Benefits

Mountain Environment: Conservation

ENERGY SOURCE CONSUMPTION

Actions to minimize energy consumption

• Firewood major source of energy in upper elevations,

• Hotels in the area have installed Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS) and brought energy efficient heaters,

• Solar Energy for lighting purposes at Higher Elevations

• Travelers usually have torch lights and head lamps

• ECO- TECHNIQUES•

• Solar energy• Rain water• Collection and utilization• Bio-climatic design• Local materials•

– LOCAL MATERIALS AND PEOCEDURES WILL DEVELOP LOCAL CRAFT AND UNIQUENESS– RECYCLING OF WASTE WILL HELP REDUCE SOLID WASTE PROBLEMS IN THE FPREST OR THE RIVERS

• • Issues in Eco-tourism Development • (National Parks, ACAP, Sirubari)• • Avoiding negative impacts• Ensure economic benefits to local communities• Revenue for conservation• Carrying capacity• Ownership and empowerment• Education (Local ECO/GREEN CLUBS)- Life skills equip : leadership, management• Planning and management• Harmonious development • Capacity building• BUILD AWARENESS AND INCULCATE A FEELING THEREBY THAT CONSERVATION IS BY CHOICE RATHER THAN COMPULSION•

– External intervention to get the community through the initial stages– User pays concept for the visitor

Mountain Environment: Conservation

• “Leave No Trace Principle”• Zero Waste: Challenges in the Mountains• Use of Cotton Bag than Plastics• Higher prices of land and food • Pollution from traffic• Erosion• Litter • More crowded• Trees felled to supply timber and fuel wood• Lost of cultural identity among the mountain people

Waste MINIMIZATION• A Trekker can consumes

72 plastic bottles is left behind as waste

• 1 IODINE tablets = 1 liters of Mineral Water

• CARRY your waste and don’t LITTER on the TRAILS

• Suggestion to Guests.

Mountain Conservation: Challenges

Mountain Environment

Mountain Environment: Importance & Conservation

Thank you

Interaction

What can we do to address these issues?Is there anyway ‘Leave no trace’/ ‘Zero waste’?Whose responsibility?In your experience, Tourists what they say n do?What are the locations needed Environment prob?