Snow Leopard Landscapes
-
Upload
mountain-societies-research-institute-university-of-central-asia -
Category
Environment
-
view
330 -
download
0
Transcript of Snow Leopard Landscapes
Snow Leopard Landscape
ConservationPartnering with Local Communities in Western China and Central Asia
for Conservation & Development
DR J MARC FOGGINMOUNTAIN SOCIETIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA
In the Yangtze Headwaters…Project work has included education (tent schools),
health care (doctor training, village clinics), poverty alleviation (coops, tourism), as well as conservation
Genuine partnership implies a two-way street, including communities’ interests and concerns (not only engaging them to help us implement our conservation agenda)
Plateau Perspectives has worked in this region for nearly 20 years, working with many stakeholders
Tibetan Plateau • Tibet Autonomous
Region (TAR)• Qinghai Province• Gansu Province• Sichuan Province• Yunnan Province
Sanjiangyuan Region
Project area
Ecosystem services are delivered downstream,
from the Tibetan plateau region to the entire
country
Sanjiangyuan Nature ReserveEcosystem services are delivered from the Tibetan
plateau region to the entire country – downstreamLocal communities resident inside reserve
boundaries18 conservation areas, with 3 management zones
How to incorporate local knowledge into monitoring, planning, implementation?
Co-management approachBuilding on initiatives that pre-date SNNRTranslating ‘traditional’ and local knowledge into
‘scientific’ language, and incorporating into plansProviding training and capacity building, increasing
awareness of partners’ interests, knowledge, capacities
Community wardens and SNNR chose to focus attention on a focal species (snow leopard) to trial the viability and the cost-effectiveness of co-management
Snow leopard monitoringSeasonal transect surveys by wardens (several
wildlife species) incorporated into SNNR’s standard operations
Camera traps used to demonstrate gains of partnership
Finding: one of the world’s highest snow leopard densities found in local mountain range; leading to further wildlife research by Chinese universities and other organizations
However, depth and breadth of initial partnership difficult to replicate –requiring time and commitment beyond conservation per se
Scaling up the initial successCo-management approach scaled up – from initial trial to
provincial PA network (Qinghai Forestry Department)Approach integrated into the GEF/UNDP suite of projects
Increasing recognition by NGOs and international bodies such as IUCN, also government and policy makers, that conservation partnerships must consider both improved livelihoods and enhanced biodiversity
Key challenge will be inter-sectoral dialogue and collaboration, and the sharing of information and resources
Highlands of Central Asia
GSLEP InitiativeSnow Leopard Landscapes
identified under the GSLEP program in 12 snow leopard range state countries
As each landscape is unique in character, defined by cultures, geography, politics and socioeconomics – each needs specific interventions, i.e. tailored conservation management plans
GSLEP Secretariat anticipates that by the end of 2016, most landscapes will have functional management plans ready
23 Snow Leopard Landscapes
However some gaps remain, including a lack of SLLs on the
Tibetan Plateau
Community efforts in Central AsiaFor example, 5-6 community conservancies in
Tajikistan, drawing together wildlife monitoring (argali, ibex; snow leopard prey), hunting quotas, trophy revenue, tourism
Transboundary project: the Karakoram-Wakhan-Pamir Landscape Initiative (KWPLI) coordinated by ICIMOD, partners including University of Central Asia
© Munavvar Alidodov
CEPF initiative to profile the ‘Mountains of Central Asia’ biodiversity hotspot and develop a long-term investment strategy for conservation
Contact information
Mountain Societies Research Institutemsri.ucentralasia.org
Dr J Marc FogginAssociate Director, [email protected]