Strengthening collaboration for resilient cryosphere, ecosystems, and society in Langtang National Park

Programmes

River Basins and Cryosphere

Venue

Kangchenjunga Hall, ICIMOD Headquarters

Date & Time

15 August 2022

Contact

Sunita Chaudhary

About the meeting

As part of our ongoing work in Langtang National Park (LNP), we are holding an interaction meeting with officials from LNP, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation DNPWC), and representatives from Gosaikunda Gaunpalika (rural municipality) to discuss and identify activities that can contribute to enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and communities in LNP. The local ecosystems and communities within the national park are under increasing threat from the impacts of climate change and other anthropogenic pressure. The meeting seeks to discuss our ongoing work and possible contribution to LNP to promote sustainable management of resources.

Objectives

Provide updates on ICIMOD’s work in LNP covering cryosphere monitoring, ecosystems/biodiversity, and livelihoods
Discuss possible ICIMOD contributions for sustainable management of biodiversity and livelihoods in LNP
Identify common areas for collaboration and define responsibilities

Background

Our Cryosphere Initiative aims for a resilient HKH cryosphere through monitoring and research, community engagement, and using knowledge and learnings for informed policy making. One of the Initiative’s major priorities is cryosphere monitoring to improve understanding of cryosphere change and its impacts on water resources, biodiversity, and society. In collaboration with partners, we have been monitoring cryosphere changes in Langtang National Park and the Hidden valley of Mustang since 2011. Recently, we have started exploring the links and impacts of cryosphere on society and ecosystems in LNP.

Agenda

05 August 2022 (10:00–12:30)

Time	Activity	Resource person
9.30-10.00 AM	Registration and Tea/Coffee	Neetu Ghale, Senior Programme Associate, River Basins and Cryosphere, ICIMOD
Moderator: Sunita Chaudhary, Ecosystem Services Specialist, ICIMOD
10.00-10.05 AM	Welcome and setting the stage	Arun B Shrestha, Regional Programme Manager, River Basins and Cryosphere, ICIMOD
10.05-10.10 AM	Welcome remarks	Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD
10.10-10.15 AM	Felicitation to Director General Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)	Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD
10.15-10.20 AM	Remarks	Maheshwor Dhakal Director General Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)
10.20 -10.30	Remarks	Kaisang Nurpu Tamang, Chairman, Gosaikunda Rural Municipality
10.30-10.40	Remarks	Dindu Lama, Chairman, Gosaikunda Rural Municipality, ward no. 4
10.40-11.00	GROUP PHOTO AND TEA/COFEE BREAK
11.00-11.10	ICIMOD’s cryosphere work in Langtang National Park	Miriam Jackson, Programme Coordinator, ICIMOD and Sharad Joshi, Cryosphere Analyst, ICIMOD
11.10-11.20	Cryosphere monitoring in Yala and Ganjala glaciers	Jakob Steiner, Glacier Hydrologist, ICIMOD and Tika Gurung, Cryosphere Analyst, ICIMOD
11.20-11.30	Impacts of cryosphere changes on ecosystems and biodiversity – preliminary findings	Sunita Chaudhary, ICIMOD
11.30-11.40	Impacts of cryosphere changes on the society of Langtang Valley	Binaya Pasakhala, Governance and Institutions Analyst, ICIMOD and Amina Maharjan, Senior Specialist, Livelihoods and Migration, ICIMOD
11.40-11.50	Issues and priorities of LNP	Pramod Bhattarai and Bhupendra Yadav, Langtang National Park Office
11.50-12.00	Priority of the communities	Pasang Lopchen, President of Buffer Zone Committee, LNP
12.00-12.30	Discussion on priority activities of common interests for collaboration	Moderator: Arun B Shrestha, ICIMOD
Closing remarks
12.30-12.35	DNPWC	Maheswor Dhakal
12.35-12.40	Langtang National Park	Pramod Bhattarai
12.40-12.45	Gosaikunda Rural Municipality	Kaisang Nurpu Tamang
12.45-12.50	Gosaikunda Rural Municipality, ward no.4	Dindu Lama
12.50-12.55	Vote of thanks	Miriam Jackson
LUNCH