• Send an email to: majordomo@icimod.org.np with "subscribe mcnrm" in the body of the message.
• Please also fill the registration form below and send it to: mcnrm-mod@icimod.org.np
• You can also fill in the form online, at: http//www.icimod.org/iym2002/culture/reg_form.htm

CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Goal of the E-conference
3. Overall Objective
4. Specific Objectives
5. The Theme
6. Key Aspects of Culture in Relation to Natural Resources Management
7. Broad areas for discussion
8. Expected Outputs
9. Website
10. Language
11. Call for Papers (July 20 - August 10)
12. How to Subscribe
13. E-conference Registration

Growing evidence reveals that the impact of dominant and traditional development strategies contribute to the erosion of cultural practices and social capital in mountain areas. The emerging and growing use of new forms of communication and access to media are further contributing to the marginalisation of mountain culture. It is not a coincidence that the year 2002 will celebrate the International Year of the Mountains and the International Year of Ecotourism. While tourism has con- tributed to the transformation and economic development of some mountain regions, there is increasing concern about the need to address the accompanying negative impact on the cultural and social fabric of mountain people. The year 2002 provides a unique opportunity to do so and the broad goal of this initiative will be to highlight the urgency of putting into place ap- propriate policies and practices which can ensure the gains of mountain development are not at an irreversible cost to the rich and diverse culture of mountain communities.

2. Goal of the E-conference

To highlight the urgency of putting into place appropriate policies and practices, which can ensure that the cost of the gains of sustainable mountain development are not irreversible in terms of the rich and diverse culture of mountain communities in the mountain areas of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

3. Overall Objective

The overall objective is to contribute towards a detailed proposal and plan to be operationalised during the International Year of the Mountains 2002, which will promote awareness and understanding of the urgency to integrate culture with sustainable natural resources management in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan).

4. Specific Objectives

1. To start an ongoing debate on the cost of the interventions in mountain natural resource management on mountain cultures and how they can be integrated into appropriate policies and practices.
2. To bring together important issues to be addressed, positive experiences and to showcase innovative approaches.
3. To provide concrete policy recommendations on what academic and mountain research and institutions must focus on; what donors should look forward to support; how local innovations can be more widely used, modified where possible or necessary and main-streamed; and what new approaches for community based programmes can be followed.

Culture in all its forms plays a critical role in how people manage their lives, their relationships with each other and the environments in which they live. In mountain regions throughout the world, traditional cultures and conservation have evolved together. The beliefs and behaviours of human communities primarily drive sustainable natural resource management, and local cultures are strengthened by intimate connection to the natural environment that sustains them. Healthy mountain eco- systems, communities and cultures are inseparable, building over time a 'vocabulary of place' where sacred beliefs are inextricably bound to daily life routine and the practice of natural resource management. The cultural aspects of human lives, whether in physical manifestations as buildings and landscapes or non- physical forms like language, traditions and beliefs, have both inherent and functional value.

Mountain cultures and rituals, through the centuries, have developed as responses to change. Tradition is the mechanism that prevents people from changing cultures but tradition need not be synonymous with culture - it is an umbrella phrase for elements that lay down concrete rules that people wish to denote as unchanging and not to be challenged. In reality, cultures have always changed and been in transition. Hence, any culture is as strong as its ability to respond and accommodate to change without disintegration, fundamentalist cultures that resist change have disintegrated in the end and this is historical fact. Culture is not a treasure that is fragile and needs guarding against change. That is rather a traditionalist view. Culture is a lot stronger than information technology, for example, and it will rise to absorb it and frame it in its own image. If culture does not serve humanity, humanity will in the end change it, no matter how long it takes.

In a situation of dramatic environmental and economic change, there is a growing recognition that a greater appreciation of culture can play a critical role in determining the type and rate of change. The role of culture in the lives of mountain peoples and the relationship of their culture with the management of their environments must be recognised and valued. While the modern world may be poorer for a scientific rationalism that separates objective and sacred knowledge, traditional mountain cultures make no such distinctions, ritual and religion being intrinsic to the daily business of living.

6. Key Aspects of Culture in Relation to Natural Resources Management

Both spatial and temporal dimensions may be associated with cultural and spiritual beliefs regarding landscape features. The relationship which sacred mountains have with the sur- rounding landscape has strong implications for resource conservation, such mountains frequently being exceptionally comprehensive ecosystems. Of all sacred elements which may be present in a landscape, a mountain is generally the most comprehensive in terms of the ecology being protected by its sacredness, the sacred site being linked through cultural or spiritual beliefs to the protection of other landscape elements not actually on the mountain.

Sacred mountain sites have resulted in communities maintaining and preserving the natural resources in often pristine conditions, and in fact the cultural and inspirational value of mountains has played a vital role in the establishment of natural parks. It is a most effective tool for galvanising public support of the con- servation of wilderness areas. Indigenous communities have long realised the value of the high diversity and natural resources within mountains and that mountains are natural resources which nurture.

The strong link between environmental conservation and spiritual beliefs should be taken into account during resource management planning processes. Thus, local people must be involved in natural resource management decisions so that their cultural understanding of and linkages to land use traditions can benefit conservation practices and policies. Mountain cultural diversity is a strong and valid basis for sustainable use and conservation of mountain resources and for any assurance of long-term success, policies and programmes directed toward preservation, development and sustainable use of mountain environments must take into account cultural, spiritual and religious factors. The link between spirituality and conservation will be strongest when genuine partnerships are forged between religious and spiritual leaders who can first identify and set conditions for resource management, and regulatory and legislative authorities who can help provide technical, scientific and policy expertise. Involving cultural and religious leaders helps strengthen both natural resource management and cultural integrity and survival.

Both indigenous and non-indigenous people often accord heightened value to the natural resources within sacred mountains or near sacred sites. This has implications for how people will use, develop and conserve these resources. The affinity and value people have for such sites offers local communities the op- portunity to attract outsiders and investment in locally driven conservation and development programmes. The spiritual and cultural value of mountains, particularly as places of renewal and inspiration, has played a key role in the genesis of con- temporary environmental movements and continues to motivate people in modern as well as traditional societies to take actions to protect wilderness areas and the environment in general.

During the e-conference the following aspects would receive primary attention :

• Mountain tourism, especially domestic tourism, risks and opportunities of globalisation, roles and perceptions of different stakeholders
• The significance of mountain tourism in changing mountain lifestyle and how such change affects mountain natural resource management
• Ecological democracy -investigate the role of cultural aspects in governance, including role of women in decision-making
• Intersection of cultural issues with regard to diversity and preservation of cultures and identity , documenting cultural practices on natural resource management
• Sacred mountain sites -inventory of cultural practices and sites using innovative participatory learning tools to document knowledge, sites, practices
• Raise awareness of and the level of debate about cultural aspects in mountain development and natural resource management
• Cultural identities as risk factors in natural resource management planning in mountain areas -clarify issues, create awareness, build multiple perspectives
• Challenge the mainstream understanding about beliefs and cultural aspects of natural resource management in mountain areas
• The significance of gender in integrating culture and natural resource management.

1. Conceptualising "Culture" and "Natural Resources Management"
2. Cultures Under Threat
3. Ethical Issues
4. Characteristics of Local Cultural Ecologies
5. Identifying and Building on Cultural Ecologies

1. Synopsis of relevant key issues discussed during the e-conference in a synthesis report
2. Compilation of promising case studies, examples or innovative approaches.
3. A collection of reference material on-line - bibliography and websites
4. An advocacy tool (report) for bringing about change at policy level.

The registration form and some relevant papers are available on the MCNRM website at: http//www.icimod.org/iym2002/culture/mcnrm.htm

A bibliography and collection of relevant websites will be available shortly. All proceedings will be posted on the website.

10. Language

The e-conference will be in English but supporting documentation in regional languages will be accepted. Help is required in translating such documents into English and translating the final synthesis report into regional languages.

11. Call for Papers (July 20 - August 10)

Interested persons can contribute papers at any time until the deadline. Topics may or may not be selected from the several aspects and areas listed above, but should be directly relevant to the main theme.

Your help in disseminating this announcement among your own networks would be appreciated.

12. How to Subscribe

To join in the discussion, please send an email to: majordomo@icimod.org.np with "subscribe mcnrm" in the body of the message.

13. E-conference Registration

Please also fill the registration form below and send it to: mcnrm-mod@icimod.org.np

You can also fill in the form online, at: http//www.icimod.org/iym2002/culture/reg_form.htm

REGISTRATION FORM

1. Name:

2. Designation:

3. Organisation:

4. City, Country:

5. E-mail:

6. Brief introduction:

7. Statement of Interest in this E-Conference:

8. Member of the Mountain Forum Lists? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, which ones?

9. Will send and article or paper or case study? Yes [ ] No [ ]

10. Interested in guest moderating? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, choice of weekly topic(s)

The persons directly involved in this effort are :

Sangeeta Pandey
Vijay Ratan Khadgi
Anupam Bhatia
ICIMOD

Nandita Jain
TMI

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