Himalayas
Believing that mountains can serve as inspiration, conscience, and model for community-based conservation in the next millennium, The Mountain Institute, a non-profit scientific and educational organization, is committed to preserving mountain environments and advancing mountain cultures throughout the world. The mandate of Agenda 21, Chapter 13 defines in large part the work of The...
The main purpose of the work reported is the field-evaluation of large-scale aerial photographs (1:1,250 and 1:2,500 scale) as non-literate aids for supporting participatory work by Forest User Groups (FUGs) and for participatory mapping of community forests in Nepal. Aerial photographs used in conjunction with a Geographical Information System (GIS) were also tested as a possible...
Himalayan snow and glaciers are apex natural water resource reservoirs and release large quantity of freshwater year round. Their ultrahigh altitudes attract moisture from Indian, Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. The uplift of the mountains have given birth to Indian Monsoon. Their rugged topographic features modify weather systems at all scales of space and time. Meltwater releases...
The article introduces the importance of fresh and clean water for human survival and maintenance of ecosystem on land. It outlines the concept of integrated water resource management and its essential ingredients for sustainable development. The atmospheric, geospheric and biospheric interactions in Himalayas are briefly dealt with. Himalayan snow and ice reservoirs, its lake systems and...
There is a lack of consistency on the designation for the highest mountain range in the world. That is, some describe it in singular as 'Himalaya' while others use the plural 'Himalayas'. The author aims to clarify how these two forms should be used according to the context under discussion.
This mountain range deserves to be treated as a singular entity owing to its emphatic...
The timberline zone in the Himalaya is a cradle of high temperate and low alpine biodiversity elements. It is a rich repository of highly sensitive elements which are of considerable biological and economic value. Among others, these include endemic, endangered, medicinal and edibles plant species. In view of the unique diversity of its biological components, representativeness, susceptibility...
The Andes and the Himalayas are the two most massive and extended mountain ecosystems in the world. Despite some important geographical differences between them, they share many commonalities. In addition, they have both witnessed the development of ancient and complex civilizations and are currently inhabited by rural communities that carry an ancient heritage including traditional patterns...
Mountain inhabitants all over the world, often guileless and trusting people, are gradually waking up to their vulnerabilities and there is growing concern among them over the loss of their immediate habitat and the usurption of their resources and livelihood patterns by vested interests. These concerns have found articulation in Chapter 13 of the Agenda 21 document under the heading: Managing...
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