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The transboundary landscape approach builds on principles of integrated social-ecological systems with conservation and development perspectives at a transboundary level
. The evolution of one such transboundary landscape in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) from the 1990's to the present is discussed through a phase-wise process. Both global and regional discourses have been influential in designing the transboundary Kangchenjunga Landscape which is shared by Bhutan, India and Nepal. The 25,085 sq.km landscape ranges in elevation from 40 to 8,586 m asl and is home to more than seven million people, while hosting more than 4,500 species of plants and at least 169 mammal and 618 bird species. With the aim of conserving and managing the landscape for sustained ecosystem services that ultimately contribute to the livelihoods of the women and men residing therein, the Kangchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative was implemented since 2016. Lessons from the Kangchenjunga Landscape indicate that participatory and iterative boundary delineation, transboundary cooperation, identification of a lead institution, ensuring the global-local-global feedback cycle, and regional data sharing are key components for implementing transboundary landscape programmes in the region
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As human pressures on ecosystems continue to increase, research involving the effective incorporation of social values information into the context of comprehensive ecosystem services assessments is becoming more important
. Including quantified, spatially explicit social value metrics in such assessments will improve the analysis of relative tradeoffs among ecosystem services. This paper describes a GIS application, Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES), developed to assess, map, and quantify the perceived social values of ecosystem services by deriving a non-monetary Value Index from responses to a public attitude and preference survey. SolVES calculates and maps the Value Index for social values held by various survey subgroups, as distinguished by their attitudes regarding ecosystem use. Index values can be compared within and among survey subgroups to explore the effect of social contexts on the valuation of ecosystem services. Index values can also be correlated and regressed against landscape metrics SolVES calculates from various environmental data layers. Coefficients derived through these analyses were applied to their corresponding data layers to generate a predicted social value map. This map compared favorably with other SolVES output and led to the addition of a predictive mapping function to SolVES for value transfer to areas where survey data are unavailable. A more robust application is being developed as a public domain tool for decision makers and researchers to map social values of ecosystem services and to facilitate discussions among diverse stakeholders involving relative tradeoffs among different ecosystem services in a variety of physical and social contexts
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New tools and methodologies are required in systemic planning and management of mountain protected areas
. Among others we propose here a decision support toolbox (DST) conceived as an integrated collection of both soft and hard system methodologies, consisting of participatory and computer-based modules to provide a set of integrated, self-contained tools and approaches to support decision-making processes in the management of mountain protected areas. The Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ) in Nepal was taken as a pilot case. A number of participatory exercises such as participatory 3-dimensional modeling, scenario planning, and qualitative modeling were carried out to understand social-ecological processes and generate a systemic view over space and time. The qualitative models were then converted into computer-based system dynamics models. The design and development of DST software were carried out with an incremental and modular approach. This process involved stakeholder analysis and decision-making processes through a series of consultations. The software was developed with the main modules including scenario analysis, spatial analysis, and knowledge base. The scenario analysis module runs system dynamics models built in Simile software and provides functions to link them with spatial data for model inputs and outputs. The spatial analysis module provides the basic geographic information system functions to explore, edit, analyze, and visualize spatial information. The knowledge base module was developed as a metadata management system for different categories of information such as spatial data, bibliography, research data, and models. The development of DST software, especially system dynamics modeling and its linkage with spatial components, provided an important methodological approach for spatial and temporal integration. Furthermore, training and interactions with park managers and concerned stakeholders showed that DST is a useful platform for integrating data and information and better understanding ecosystem behavior as a basis for management decisions
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This portal adopts the state-of-the-art web-based tools and technologies for improving access, interactive use and exchange of data, information and knowledge
. IWP has been built with the capability to integrate a wide variety of data and information resources such as project documents, bibliographic information, geographic information, model data, interactive maps, satellite images and research data. More importantly, all of these data and information are associated with their respective metadata. Access to these information resources by multiple users such as general users, technicians, researchers, scientists and decision makers enhances collaborative learning and sharing culture among the stakeholders of all three protected areas. IWP is one such platform that caters to these needs and requirements. IWP can be accessed at http://www.hkkhpartnership.org. The objectives behind the development of IWP, its architecture, development, administration and implementation process are discussed in the following chapters of this document
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The presentation examines why economic valuation of ecosystem services is important and what are the economic methods available for monetary valuation of ecosystem services
. A look is taken at how to integrate ecological and economic approach to estimate the monetary value of the KLS Framework for assessing economic valuation of KLS
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Wetlands are among the most productive but threatened ecosystems on earth
. Wetlands provide many benefits – environmental, economic and social – yet there is a limited assessment of these multiple values and therefore, have little attention in national accounts. Nepal has been transforming its resource management policies in favour of local people. This paper reviews existing policy framework and legal mechanisms involved in wetlands. There are several acts and regulations which have direct or indirect bearing on wetland conservation and management. It also discusses issues and possibilities of wetland management in Nepal. Finally, it recommends capacity building, wetland survey and inventory
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Future economic growth and land development have the potential to produce tradeoffs in which economic values increase at the expense of environmental values
. Although such tradeoffs have not been empirically verified in mountain ecosystems, they are likely to exist for an ecosystem containing abundant natural resources and environmental amenities that is undergoing rapid economic and population growth. Quantifying future tradeoffs between economic and environmental values is important because it provides information for natural resource managers and community planners that is useful in alleviating the adverse impacts of future growth and development on wildlife. Such tradeoffs are quantified for Flathead County, Montana, located in the Northern Rocky Mountains of the United States, using the Ecosystem Landscape Modeling System (ELMS). In particular, the ELMS is used for the following: (1) to simulate the extent of the tradeoffs between economic values (ie total output of goods and services) and wildlife habitat suitability (ie extent of habitat disturbance and the degree of loss in habitat security) in buffer zones for five protected areas in Flathead County between 2005 and 2024; and (2) to determine whether implementing a more restrictive land use policy than existed in 2005 would reduce future adverse impacts of growth and development on wildlife habitat. Simulation results indicate that future growth in Flathead County increases total output of goods and services, and the resulting land development reduces the suitability of wildlife habitat in the buffer zones. Degradation in habitat suitability can be alleviated by implementing a more restrictive land use policy. The methods used in the study provide a coarse assessment of the tradeoffs between economic values and wildlife habitat suitability in buffer zones for mountain protected areas
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The paper is exploring the problem, situation and relation between the ecosystem management approached and Community Forestry (CF) management system of Nepal, has recommended further step to adopt ecosystem management approached in CF in Nepal
. Thirty four percent of total forest of country has already handover to user as the CF. Out of them near about one percent of community forests are protection oriented which has met ecosystems management principles. CF handover process is increasing year by year and Government has targeted to handover 61% of Forest land as community forest. There are many problems in CF which is difficult to meet ecosystem approached i.e. forest product distribution, benefit sharing, resource utilisation, good governance etc. Heavy silvilcuture system is applying in CF with out thinking to habitat for insect, wildlife. CF is leading towards economic and livelihood subsistence of local people. There is less consideration for whole ecosystem management approached in CF. Therefore, at least 25 % of CF area should be left in natural stage without the human interfere which will be provided habitat for other ecosystem component such as insect, birds, wildlife etc
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This essay constitutes a piece of boundary work between science and policy
. It illustrates the conflicts, but also the opportunities, that natural resource management encounters in the twenty-first century. The author has tried to provide a widely accessible document that argues why a more holistic approach to conservation and natural resource management is imperative. Inspired by the concept of “Integrated Forest Management,” he conceived the basics for an “Integrated Sustainable Development” strategy. He has approached the vast topic of “sustainable development in the Amazon” without complicated methodology because he wants to present the problem in its inherent complexity and any other manner would largely exceed the length of an essay. A future scientific challenge is to deepen the analysis of why an integrated approach to conservation and ecosystem management is more likely to succeed than a segregative approach. Ultimately, the more political task, however, is to promote dialogue between the manifold and important stakeholder groups in the Amazon to a point where social, ecological, and economic realities are combined and provide a portfolio of sustainable development options
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UN General Assembly Resolution 62/196 requested "the scientific community, national governments and inter-governmental organisation to collaborate with mountain communities to jointly study and address the negative effects of global climate change on mountain environments
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In response to this call for action, UNEP promoted and organised the conference on "Mountains as Early Indicators for Climate Change" in order to exchange state-of-the art research on climate change and mountains and to evolve understanding on the ecosystem services they provide to the globe not least water.
In 2008 UNEP Vienna, in partnership with several institutions and with the support of the Italian Government organized the conference "Mountains as early indicators of Climate Change" which took place at Padua University. The publication, prepared by UNEP ROE/Vienna Office as the Environmental Reference Centre of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, reflects the discussion and findings of that event.
The outcomes of the conference are presented in this publication. They underline the acute vulnerability of mountains in a climate constrained world and the urgent need for coordinated and concrete adaptation strategies if they are to continue to contribute to achieving, for example, the UN's Millennium Development Goals
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