Title: Participatory Integrated Landscape Level Management Strategy and Plans by Defining the Extent of Landscape (Alpine and Subalpine) and Evaluating Landscape Level Existing Strategies in Secure Himalaya Project Landscape in selected Districts of Sikkim
KeyWords: Global Wildlife Programme, The Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme
Year of Publication: 2020
ISSN No: NA
Author Name: GICIA India Private Limited, ICIMOD, NCCF
Details:
Executive summary
“Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems (SECURE)” is a project undertaken by The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with UNDP, and funded by GEF. The project aims to support the Government of India and State Governments to promote sustainable land and forest management in alpine pastures and forests in High range Indian Himalayan Ecosystems that secure sustainable livelihoods and ensure conservation of globally significant biodiversity and threatened species. The assignment “Preparation of Participatory Integrated Landscape Based Strategy and Plans by Defining the Extent of Landscape In Selected Districts of Himachal Pradesh” is one of the most important studies assigned by UNDP to the consortium of GICIA India Pvt Ltd, NCCF and ICIMOD, Nepal. This project component aims to develop a rationale strategy and plan for the sustainable development of snow landscape by addressing social, environment and economic aspects, which are directly or indirectly connected with management of the landscape. The assignment was carried out in the Khangchendzonga upper Teesta landscape of SECURE Himalaya Project in Sikkim. For synthesizing the landscape based strategy and plan extensive review of the existing strategies, policies were done along with consultations with concerned stakeholders from line department, NGOs, individual experts, local committees.
Existing strategies i.e. policies, programmes, projects implemented by different department were taken into consideration to understand the existing tools for the mitigation of issues prevailing in the landscape. The strategy and plan recommends a significant improvement in the state level strategies and plan by incorporating landscape vision with primary focus on key stakeholders like herders, local communities that are largely dependent on natural resources for their livelihood. The strategy and plan also emphasize on the need for convergence of different line departments, institutions, NGOs in order to address the landscape level threats in an efficient manner. The field-based observations along with review of existing literature were used for identification of potential threats in the landscape; these threats and gaps have been highlighted in miscellaneous studies conducted by researchers and departments working in the landscape area. The strategy and plan address individual threats and provide strategies and recommended plans for addressing the threat by using existing strategies and innovations.
The assignment also attempts to define the extent of landscape by using Multi Criteria Decision-Making Modelling (MCDM) to identify the areas where snow leopard distribution in the landscape areas by using the specific attributes like ruggedness, climate, prey availability.
The ground truthing of the extent of landscape was also done by field visits in areas outside the landscape area. The outcomes of the study are the results of secondary and primary research conducted in the landscape area but a detailed study is desired to culminate landscape specific data collected by partner agencies working in the landscape area. This will also help to strengthen and align the landscape specific strategies in a better and effective manner.