Spring Semester 2005
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International University Bremen
Natural Science LaboratoryGeosciences 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.
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.
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
Acknowledgement:
(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). |
