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Snow Leopard Landscapes
The document discusses snow leopard landscape conservation efforts in western China and Central Asia, focusing on collaboration with local communities to enhance conservation and development initiatives. Key activities include education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and the incorporation of local knowledge into conservation strategies through a co-management approach. The project highlights the importance of considering both improved livelihoods and biodiversity in conservation partnerships, with notable successes and challenges in scaling efforts across the region.
Snow Leopard Landscapes
- 1. Snow Leopard Landscape Conservation Partneringwith Local Communities in Western China and Central Asia for Conservation & Development DR J MARC FOGGIN MOUNTAIN SOCIETIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA
- 2. In the YangtzeHeadwaters… 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
- 3. Tibet Autonomous Region UnderGolmud Administration Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Tsonub Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Dechen Tibetan AP Mili Tibetan AC Kartse Tibetan AP Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang AP Tsojang Tibetan AP Tsolho Tibetan AP Golog Tibetan AP Pari TibetanAC Haidong Prefecture Kanlho Tibetan AP Malho Tibatan AP Xining City and District T I B E T A U T O N O M O U S R E G I O N Q I N G H A I G A N S U Y U N N A N S I C H U A N China India Kazakhstan Mongolia Myanmar Thailand Pakistan Nepal Philippines South Korea Area of detail Kilometers 0 2,000 Russia Source: Boundary (Marshall and Cooke, Tibet Outside the TAR, 1997) Satellite Image (NASA), 2004©Tsering Wangyal Shawa, Princeton University, 2008 Location Map TIBET Lhasa Miles0 150 300 Kilometers0 200 400 X I N J I A N G I N N E R M O N G O L I A NINGXIA AP Autonomous Prefecture AC Autonomous County Provincial Boundary Tibetan Cultural Area 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
- 4. Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve Ecosystem services are delivered from the Tibetan plateau region to the entire country – downstream Local communities resident inside reserve boundaries 18 conservation areas, with 3 management zones How to incorporate local knowledge into monitoring, planning, implementation?
- 5. Co-management approach Buildingon initiatives that pre-date SNNR Translating ‘traditional’ and local knowledge into ‘scientific’ language, and incorporating into plans Providing 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
- 6. Snow leopard monitoring Seasonal 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
- 7. Scaling up theinitial success Co-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
- 8.
- 9. GSLEP Initiative SnowLeopard 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
- 10. 23 Snow LeopardLandscapes However some gaps remain, including a lack of SLLs on the Tibetan Plateau
- 11. Community efforts inCentral Asia For 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
- 12. Contact information Mountain Societies ResearchInstitute msri.ucentralasia.org Dr J Marc Foggin Associate Director, MSRI marc.foggin@ucentralasia.org
Editor's Notes
- #3 Integrative conservation partnerships for improved livelihoods and enhanced biodiversity Good development is community level development, good conservation is landscape level conservation !!
- #5 But still need to figure out ‘how to deal with people’
- #10 GSLEP approach (as stated in endorsed document): “Conservation… with communities”