Enhancing permafrost research capacity and community engagement in Humla District, Nepal

About the expedition

The annual field expedition to the Limi Valley in Humla District, Nepal, is scheduled to take place from 4 to 15 September 2024. This year, the expedition will focus on capacity building, in addition to carrying out regular data collection and maintenance of the previously installed stations.

The expedition team will include a student and a faculty member from our partners; Tribhuvan University, Nepal, along with representatives from the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) in Bhutan and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). They will be guided by two permafrost experts from ICIMOD on observing permafrost and monitoring its various characteristics.

Objectives for this expedition

• Demonstrate the process of collecting data from ground temperature sensors and micro-weather stations installed between 2021 and 2023 to training participants and community members
• Provide lessons on detecting, downloading data and maintaining the micro-weather stations
• Deploy additional ground temperature sensors at various sites to expand the study area for permafrost occurrence and climate change impacts
• Educate students and local community members on permafrost changes and the impacts of climate change on permafrost environments and local communities

This on-site training will cover the maintenance of existing micro-weather stations, downloading data from these stations, retrieving ground temperature sensors, and analysing the collected data. Field-based training at actual permafrost sites will help participants understand the impact of climate change on permafrost and its consequences for ecosystems and livelihoods. Additionally, permafrost experts from ICIMOD will engage with communities and students in the valley to explain the purpose of the field research and share insights from data collected since 2021, keeping them informed about our ongoing research and activities.

The event is organised by Action Area A – Managing Cryosphere and Water Risks under the Strategic Group (SG-1) on Reducing Climate and Environment Risks with support from the Government of Norway.

Background

Permafrost distribution and changes in the mountains of Hindu Kush Himalaya region remain largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, ICIMOD launched a pilot permafrost research program in the Limi Valley, Humla District of Nepal in 2021. There is widespread evidence of slope disturbances caused by permafrost thaw throughout the Limi valley, making it an ideal site for studying permafrost occurrence. Annual field visits are conducted to collect data, interact with local communities about the changing cryosphere, and train the next generation of permafrost researchers, primarily university students.

Our fieldwork from 2021 to 2023 revealed permafrost presence and potential risks from degradation for remote communities in Humla. During this fieldwork, the team will expand our network of micro-weather stations and ground temperature sensors to cover more sites in the valley.  At present, there are five micro-weather stations installed at Yalbang, Hilsa, Tungling, Halji and Zang. Additionally, 15 ground temperature sensors were deployed at 11 locations along the route from Chhungsa to Lapcha La Pass, two locations near Halji Village, one location near Zang Village, and one location at Seji La Pass.