About Transboundary Landscape Initiatives in the Hindu Kush Himalaya:
The Hindu Kush Himalaya is extremely varied, yet there are many interlinkages between biomes and habitats as well as strong upstream-downstream linkages related to the provisioning of ecosystem services. The Convention on Biological Diversity advocates for the use of landscape and ecosystem approaches for managing biodiversity in the region, recognizing the need for increased regional cooperation. ICIMOD and its partners have identified seven transboundary landscapes for programmatic cooperation. From west to east, these are: Hindu Kush Karakoram-Pamir, Kailash, Everest, Kangchenjunga, Far Eastern Himalayas, and Cherrapunjee-Chittagong. The transboundary landscape concept makes it possible to address the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources (biodiversity, rangelands, farming systems, forests, wetlands, and watersheds) in landscapes defined by ecosystems rather than administrative boundaries. The approach is people-centred and includes cultural conservation, which is an essential first step to resource conservation efforts in the region and helps translate collaborative action into sustainable and equitable development.
About the Kailash Sacred Landscape:
Located within the remote southwestern portion of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, adjacent districts in the far-western region of Nepal, and the northeastern flank of Uttarakhand State in northern India, the Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL) is spread over an area of about 31,000 km2 and represents a diverse, multi-cultural, and fragile landscape.
The Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KSLCDI) is a transboundary collaborative programme between China, India, and Nepal that has evolved through a participatory, iterative process among various local and national research and development institutions within these countries. The programme aims to achieve long-term conservation of ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity while encouraging sustainable development, enhancing the resilience of communities in the landscape, and safeguarding the cultural linkages between local populations.
About Chyura:
Chyura, also known as the ‘Indian butter tree’ or (chyuri or chiuri in Nepali), grows abundantly in the Kailash Sacred Landscape, in villages of Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand, India, and the far western, mid-western and central districts of Nepal. Chyura is a multi-purpose tree and plays an important role in the rural economies of these districts. Its leaves can be used as livestock fodder, its flowers support beekeeping for honey production, and the ‘ghee’ produced from its seeds is used for cooking, as medicine to treat rheumatism, ulcers, and itching, and as a pesticide and insect repellent.
The report was co-funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nepal.