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International University Bremen
Natural Science Laboratory
Geosciences and Astrophysics
Geodiversity
Spring Semester 2005
Use of Georesources and Geoconsevation in Nepal
(Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area)
Report prepared by: Amit Gautam
Date of the report: February 27, 2005
General Overview
Figure 1: Nepal’s Map showing Protected Areas
Nepal, situated in the central Himalayas (28 00 N, 84 00 E), is a country
having both physiographic and climatic contrasts within a relatively small
area of 147181 sq. km. The country's economy depends largely on the use
of its natural resource base. About two thirds of the country is occupied
by hills and mountains with steep to very steep slopes. Nepal's lowland
terai is formed of rich alluvial sediments, while the Siwaliks, which stand
as a transition between the terai and the mountains, are mostly erodible.
Erosion has worsened in areas where agriculture is practiced, especially
on the steeper slopes.
Thirty-seven per cent of the country's area is under forest cover, while
that under agriculture is about 20 per cent. Seventy-five per cent of the
country's energy requirements are met by fuel wood. Over 5400 species
of vascular plants, including over 245 species of endemic plants, 700
species of medicinal plants, 175 species of mammals, 850 species of
moths, and 180 species of dragonflies, have so far been identified in this
country. These species are being protected and conserved through
national parks, wildlife reserves, and conservation areas covering 12 per
cent of the country's area. Nepal has many different ethnic groups that are
facing many difficulties brought about by changes in access to natural
resources, education, and development in Nepal.
From 1950 to 1980 Nepal lost half of its forest cover to make room for its
population that had doubled during the period. Today, less than 30% of
the total land is covered by forests. Moreover, the practice of subsistence
farming has put great pressure on the forest lands and wild animals
Nepal has established 7 National Parks and 3 wildlife reserves for the
protection of the endangered species. There is only one hunting reserve in
Nepal. These parks and reserves come under the administration of the
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department of the Government
of Nepal. The total area covered by these parks and reserves is 11,001
square kilometers (4,247 square miles). This represents 8% of the total
area of Nepal.
The major environmental problems in Nepal are caused by land
degradation, deforestation, and pollution. Land and forest resources are
over-exploited because of heavy dependence on the natural resource base,
while water and mineral resources are under-utilized owing to lack of
financial resources and infrastructure. Soil erosion, fertility decline,
sedimentation, and floods continue to degrade scarce land resources.
Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area
Figure 2
The Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area (MBNPCA)
was established in 1992 to preserve unique biodiversity and endangered
wilderness in Nepal, and the Himalaya. This unique mountainous area
(87°00’ E, 27°30’ N) of over 2300sq.km comprises the drainage
extending from the Mt. Everest ecosystem (elev.8000m) to the Arun
River Valley (elev. 300 m), encompassing an enormous diversity of
species, habitats, and bioclimatic regions.
Figure 3: Mt.Everest (Makalu) Ecosystem
The Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area, located on the
eastern slope of the Mt. Everest ecosystem, is the most recent major
conservation effort aimed at preserving biodiversity and threatened
wilderness within the Himalaya. Habitats ranging from tropical
monsoonal rain forests to alpine tundra and peaks reaching over 8000 m
are located in close proximity. Over 3,000 species of flowering plants,
including 25 of Nepal's 30 varieties of rhododendron, 48 primroses, 47
orchids, 19 bamboos, 15 oaks, 86 fodder trees and 67 economically
valuable aromatic and medicinal plants have been reported. Several
species of endangered wildlife are found in the park as well, including red
panda, musk deer, barking deer, ghoral, flying squirrel, thar, common
leopard, and snow leopard. Bird fauna is rich and diverse, ranging from a
wide diveristy of eagles and other raptors to white-necked storks and
brilliantly colored sunbirds.
Figure 4
Several species of endemic fish have been reported as well. The Barun
Valley has been recognized for its geographical uniqueness and species
rich biodiversity, and classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Several
investigators have categorized vegetation within the eastern Himalaya. In
addition to the high level of habitat and species diversity, the park also
encompasses considerable cultural diversity and richness. Local peoples
depend heavily upon adjacent natural resources including grazing and
animal fodder collection, fuel wood and timber collection, and collection
of medicinal and other economically valuable plants.
Figure 5: Rhododendron (Laliguras)
Environment Problems and the Use of Resources
The problems and constraints before mountain areas in general are
complex, requiring multidimensional interventions. The principal
problems are related to Mountain Ecology.
Figure 6: Land slide in the conservation area
Soil erosion, deforestation, landslides, loss of bio-diversity, and
degradation of land and water resources are common problems
throughout the region. The National Park region also faces such type of
problems. The loss of these resources has had a serious effect on
mountain households both directly, in terms of the loss of products from
these resources, and also indirectly in terms of their various impacts on
agricultural and non-agricultural activities.
Low elevation riparian forests found within the Middle Hills of Nepal are
both essential biological habitat and important resources for local
subsistence farmers. Forming networks of habitat patches within the
primarily agricultural matrix of the Middle Hills, these forests are
repositories of a rich biological diversity.
Figure 7: Danphe (Lophophorus)
Dynamics of forest change along riparian corridors were investigated
within the newly established Makalu Barun National Park Conservation
Area, based upon a comparison of remote sensing data over a twenty year
interval. Multispectral analysis and a supervised classification of Landsat
TM (1992) and Landsat MSS (1972) data estimates approximately 7,000
ha. of low elevation riparian forests within the study area. Change
detection analysis estimates based upon the respective supervised
classifications reveal little significant change in extent of the tropical and
subtropical zone riparian forests. More impact was evident towards the
upper elevational limits of the study area. Approx. 300 ha loss of cover
within areas previously designated as forest within the Landuse Map is
estimated, constituting a 4% net loss since 1972. For all areas in the study
area, a net loss of forest of 11% is estimated. Landuse is shown to be
highly dynamic, with significant internal trading between landuse classes.
(This paragraph was taken from the journal produced by the national park
and wildlife conservation project)
More than 32,000 people live within the Conservation Area, designated
as a development-oriented buffer zone surrounding the Park. Inhabitants
are of several distinct ethnic groups and languages, with the vast majority
being subsistence agriculturalists. Agricultural systems common to this
area include not sedentary cropping activities, along with swidden slash
and burn rotations and trans-humance pastoralism. Local people depend
heavily upon nearby natural resources, particularly grazing and animal
fodder collection, fuelwood, timber collection, and the collection of
medicinal and other economically valuable plants. Several local
handicraft industries depend upon forest resources for raw materials,
notably lotka (Daphne spp.) paper production.
Figure 8: Inhabitants within the Conservation Area
In addition, local people find seasonal employment as porters, some for
trekking groups going up into the high mountains. There is substantial
seasonal out-migration from this food-deficit area to employment in the
Terai, or India, and remittances form an important part of the economy of
this part of Nepal. At this time the MBNPCA is remote and inaccessible
by road, and has few foreign visitors, compared to the many thousands
now annually visiting the adjacent Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National
Park.
Figure 9: Barun RiverValley
The inaccessible lower Barun valley, a glacier-fed tributary to the Arun
river, and its tributary the Saldima, flow through the most pristine area in
the Park and thus have been designated as a Strict Nature Reserve-the
first in Nepal. Here natural ecosystems and processes will be protected in
an undisturbed state for scientific study, environmental monitoring,
education, and the maintenance of genetic resources.
Possibilities for genotype protection
The important role of riparian corridors in biodiversity conservation
within the Middle Hills of east Nepal is discussed. Further research on
biodiversity within these patches, and a specific recognition of the value
of remnant riparian forests within the landscape and rural economy, are
required if conservation goals for the eastern Nepal Himalaya including
Makalu-Barun region are to be met.
There are also a growing number of successful examples of reversing
these trends and greater efforts are needs to promote dialogue and share
these positive experiences across the region.
The park management plan calls for sustainable development for the
more than 32,000 agriculturalists living within the Conservation Area.
Remote sensing satellite imagery is being utilized to develop a
Geographic Information System (GIS) for the MBNPCA. Landsat TM
and SPOT digital imagery, and extensive vegetation and landuse field
survey data collected on six research expeditions (1991-1994), are being
used to classify and delineate vegetation-types, land-use, and wildlife
habitat within the MBNPCA. A comparative baseline and initial
information database have been developed. This has helped to discover
the problems and to take necessary steps for recovering it.
References
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Several Internet Sites (Google)
www.viewnepal.com
www.discoverasiatravel.net
www.socialtours.com
www.environmentnepal.com.np
A journal produced by the National Park and Wildlife
Conservation Project
 www.nepalpictures.com
Acknowledgement:
 Prof. Dr. Andrea Koschinsky, geochemist, IUB
 Prof. Dr. Vikram Unnithan, geologist/geophysicist, IUB
(There are about 1580 words and 9 pages in this report. The reason why
there are nine pages could be because of the font size and the pictures
attached).