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 Invasive Alien Species:
An alien species (also known as non-native, non-indigenous, foreign, or exotic species) is a species or subspecies occurring outside of its natural range. It can be a plant, animal, fungus, or micro-organism. An alien species that has a negative impact on the environment, economy, and health of the area in which it is introduced is called an invasive alien species. After being introduced to a new environment, invasive alien species will spread, threaten local ecosystems and habitats, and cause negative ecological, biological, socioeconomic, and health impacts. They are considered to be a direct driver of biodiversity loss worldwide. This manual focuses mainly on invasive alien plant species found in various ecosystems of Nepal, and ways to identify and effectively manage them.
The report was co-funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nepal.