Regional workshop on “Innovative Tools and Experiences in Mountain Ecosystems Management” held successfully from 31st August to 3rd September 2009 in Kathmandu, Nepal

04-Sep-2009

In the year 2006, supported by the Italian Cooperation (MAE-DGCS) and implemented by IUCN in partnership with ICIMOD, Ev-K2-CNR, and CESVI the Hindu Kush Karakorum Himalaya (HKKH) Partnership Project officially kicked off its main phase. After 3 years, on August 31, the final Regional Workshop for the HKKH Partnership Project commenced here in Kathmandu, with the main objective to present the methodology, tools and applications for ecosystem management developed in the framework of the HKKH Partnership project. The Workshop was inaugurated by Yuba Raj Bhusal, Secretary, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Nepal. 100 participants from seven countries of the HKKH region namely, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, China and Pakistan gained insight into the tools, methods and approaches developed through the project and also shared relevant and innovative experiences of their region.

The event was structured over four days with the initial two days in Hotel Himalaya, spent on technical details of the project deliverables and the launch of the final version of the Decision Support Toolbox (DST) as the highlight, which is seen as the flagship product. A novel approach of Central Karakorum Conservation Complex (CKCC) in Northern Areas of Pakistan consisting of mosaic of different kinds of protected areas was also presented. Project had facilitated the development of planning framework together with a number of stakeholders working in Northern Areas of Pakistan. Impressive and exciting results were demonstrated in the presentations of project approaches and methods, management oriented research, land cover mapping and project capacity building and institutionalization efforts; project technical publications and management planning along with a series of tourism and community brochures, publications and maps. The last two days of the workshop was held in the computer lab of ICIMOD where hands on training were provided to a group of selected participants to give them a feel on the use of DST software and models in it. Overall, the workshop was a tremendous success with all participants supplementing some very useful suggestions for the future and at the same time exchanging additional knowledge about the HKKH region and DST to their vast rapture of information.