Bazhu community conserved area: Eco-protection and sustainable development of a Tibetan village in northwestern Yunnan Wande Gongba Shangri-La Institute for Sustainable Communities and The Greater Shangri-La RCE Room 1605, Building 3, SOHO New Town, 88 Jian Guo Road, Beijing China 100022 E-mail: wendegomba@shangrilainstitute.org Abstract-The application of various community based resource management projects using the principles of Education for Sustainable Development in the village of Bazhu on the Tibetan Plateau provides a useful case study for the application of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in other areas. These programs seek to empower communities on an indivdual, institutional and societal level. Here, the situational context, inherent challenges and other factors that have made these projects successful are discussed. Keywords: Educat ion for Sustainable Development, Sustainab le Resource Management, Tibetan Plateau I. INTRODUCTION The Tibetan Plateau is home to a unique range of ecosystems, ranging from alpine and cold temperate to subtropical, and as such, contains more than 20% of all of China’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species. Due to its importance globally as one of the few remaining biodiversity hotspots in the world and as the source of Asia’s major rivers, the protection of the unique environment, ecosystems, plants and animal species on the Tibetan plateau is a matter of vital concern. Over recent decades, local communities have witnessed the deterioration of the plateau caused by the increasing number of outsiders looking to take advantage of the natural environment through activities such as mining, logging and tourism. The de t e r ior a t ion of the loc a l environment is of particular harm to the numerous communities who rely on surrounding natural resources for a large portion of their income. The Tibetan Plateau is an especially fragile ecosystem, and the degradation of its natural resources, including grasslands, meadows, and forests, undermines the livelihoods those who earn their living collecting the medicinal herbs and mushrooms found only on the Tibetan Plateau. Despite the fact that these communities possess a wealth of indigenous knowledge with tremendous value to community driven and sustainable resource management, their opinions often go unheard. At present, local communities are sometimes blamed for environmental degradation and even barred from local natural resources. A lot of potential at the local level goes untapped due to limited education, capacity and influence on decision- making processes. As a result, the rights of communities on the Tibetan Plateau are not protected, and they are increasingly vulnerable Proceedings of the International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the 129 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Proceedings of International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals : Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016 at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
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