mountain environment
DESCRIPTION
Mountain Environment PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Mountain Environment: Importance & Conservation
June 10 2010
Presented by: E-mail: [email protected] 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?