Regional cooperation meet on environment and ecotourism potential in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Background

The Hindu Kush Karakoram Pamir Landscape (HKPL) covers rich, diverse cultures and fragile but important ecosystems across three mountain ranges: the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and the Himalaya. The landscape expands across the Karakoram, Pamir Mountains, and the Wakhan along the China–Pakistan–Afghanistan and Tajikistan border area. It is a conflux of some of the highest mountains and the source of many significant rivers such as the Amu Darya, Tarim, and Indus. ICIMOD’s HKPL Initiative works on cross-border resilience building and cooperation in the landscape for conservation, adaptation, and sustainable development.

There are six connected protected areas in the region: Wakhan National Park, Zorkul Nature Reserve, Broghil Valley National Park, Qurumbar National Park, Khunjerab National Park, and Taxkorgan Nature Reserve. Considering the partners who will participate in the Transboundary Landscapes Regional Programme 2020 workshop at Chitwan, Nepal, the HKPL Initiative is planning to organize a two-day follow-up event and study visit to Chitwan National Park. This will allow the participants to improve their understanding on park management, conflict resolution in communities, and income generation from the national park

Objectives

• Comprehend best practices for the conservation and management of protected areas
• Cross-learning from the national park and buffer zone area
• Learning about conflict resolution and income generation strategies and techniques from the national park and buffer zone area
• Collaborate on 2020 activities, including ecotourism and organic potential