Annapurna Conservation Area Project: ACAP ( THE REGIONAL ICONIC ENVIRONMENT OF NEPAL)by Prayash Pathak (Chalise) | 15-02-2019 01:23 |
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Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) is the first Conservation Area and largest protected area in Nepal. It covers an area of 7,629 sq. km. and is home to over 100,000 residents of different cultural and linguistic groups. ACAP is rich in biodiversity and is a treasure house for 1,226 species of flowering plants, 102 mammals, 474 birds, 39 reptiles and 22 amphibians. There are several features that make the Annapurna region a unique place in the world. It contains world¡¯s deepest river gorge - Kali Gandaki Gorge, which is 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, a valley with fossils from the Tethys Sea dating 60 million years ago. The region contains world¡¯s largest rhododendron forest in Ghorepani. Tilicho lake, located in Manang – north of Annapurna massif, is the world¡¯s highest altitude fresh water lake. The biological diversity of the Annapurna region is equally rivaled by cultural diversity. Gurung and Magar are the dominant groups in the south, whereas Thakali, Manange and Loba are dominant in the north. Each of these groups speaks their own dialect, and have unique cultures and traditions. Besides, there are also Brahmin, Chhetri and other occupational castes although in comparatively smaller numbers. Hindu, Buddhist and pre-Buddhist religions along with a mixture of all these are prevalent across the region. The local people reside in the 5 districts of the 57 Village Development Committees (VDCs) of the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA). The natural and cultural features of ACA have made it the most popular trekking destination in the country, drawing more than 60 percent of the country¡¯s total trekkers. Tourism, over the years, has been firmly established as one of the most important and competitive sectors of the local economy. There are over 1,000 lodges, teashops and hundreds of other subsidiary services to cater to the thousands of trekkers, pilgrims and their support staff. In order to manage ACA more effectively, it has been divided into 7 unit conservation offices - Jomsom, Manang and Lo-Manthang in the trans-Himalayan region and Bhujung, Sikles, Ghandruk, and Lwang on the southern flank of the Annapurna range. The focus of Jomsom, Manang and Ghandruk, which are among the most popular trekking destinations, is on integrated tourism management and other development activities that benefit the local communities and the environment. The Program priorities for Bhujung, Sikles and Lwang are poverty alleviation and integrated agriculture development and agro-forestry. Similarly, while the focus in upper Mustang, which came under the jurisdiction of ACA in 1992, has been on managing controlled tourism on a sustainable basis, and promoting heritage conservation which is the major tourist attraction. The Conservation Education and Extension Program is being implemented in the entire region of ACA and forms the backbone of all its endeavors. |
