by Justin Lowe
Tibetan Plateau Project
Until recently, the high alpine grasslands of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, China, were a haven for the rich biological heritage originally found on the Tibetan Plateau, including Tibetan antelope, wild yak, blue sheep, snow leopard, wolves, bears and black-necked cranes. In the last 30 years, however, increased hunting has lead to noticeable declines in native wildlife, while overgrazing of grasslands has reduced the productivity of traditional nomadic animal husbandry.
Recognizing the need for comprehensive conservation and sustainable economic development initiatives, the Upper Yangtze Organization (UYO), China's first Tibetan "people's organization," was established by locals late last year.
The UYO, the Tibetan Plateau Project (TPP), Chinese organizations and North American researchers are now collaborating on developing the Upper Yangtze Project (UYP), an integrated conservation and development plan for the high alpine grasslands of the upper Yangtze River. TPP will work with the villages of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to determine how conservation and development can be integrated regionally to assure that the grasslands of the region can be used simultaneously for the promotion of long-term sustainable animal husbandry, protection of biodiversity, and maintenance of Tibetan cultural values.
The initial goals of the three-year project will be to survey wildlife populations in Yushu prefecture to asses opportunities to establish community-supported protected areas for resident populations of four endangered wildlife species: Tibetan antelope, snow leopard, black-necked crane and wild donkey. The UYP will also work with local communities to train residents in biodiversity management, devise sustainable rangeland management techniques and evaluate opportunities for appropriate economic development projects.
Justin Lowe is project director of the Tibetan Plateau Project.
For more information about the UYP, contact TPP at (415) 788-3666 or or e-mail <tppei@earthisland.org>, or visit their website at <http://www.earthisland.org/tpp/index.html>.
Defending Qinghai