5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
[HCG18-P04] Mountain trail landscape for international trekkers and residents in the Nepal Himalaya
★Invited Papers
Keywords:trekking tourism, pastoralism, value of landscape, landscape conservation
This study defines the landscape visible to trekkers along mountain trails as 'mountain trail landscape.' The mountain trail landscape in the Himalaya is likely to hold diverse significance for trekkers and local residents. Furthermore, it is probable that national park managers attribute different meanings to this landscape. This presentation will examine the roles and values of mountain trail landscapes for both trekkers and residents, utilizing Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, as a case study. This location attracts numerous international trekkers seeking to experience Mount Everest.
Mountain trail landscapes play a central role in trekking activities. For trekkers, the mountain trail landscape represents an environment where they can encounter diverse alpine flora, fauna, and glaciers, as well as observe traditional livelihoods such as yak herding, which holds significant value. Conversely, for local inhabitants, mountain trails serve as essential infrastructure for their livelihood, with many residents utilizing these pathways for livestock grazing. Thus, the residents perceive the mountain trail landscape primarily as a grazing landscape.
Grazing landscapes are characterized by forests (in low-altitude areas) or grasslands (in high-altitude areas) and micro-topography known as grazing terracettes. Bovine, caprine, and ovine species graze in the forests in the lower areas, predominantly in the buffer zone, while yaks and their hybrids graze on extensive grassland slopes in the higher areas, primarily in the core zone. Grazing terracettes have developed on slopes. These formations are generally considered to enhance slope stability when the number of livestock remains within an appropriate range. Moreover, grazing terracettes featuring a diverse array of alpine flora provide a significant experiential element for trekkers.
However, due to the development of trekking tourism, in conjunction with multiple other factors, livestock grazing, predominantly of yaks, has been declining in Sagarmatha National Park since approximately 1990. As grazing diminishes, the grazing landscapes begin to deteriorate. Furthermore, in regions where the government has initiated milk procurement and cheese production, such as Langtang National Park, the livestock population has increased substantially, resulting in shallow soil erosion (turf exfoliation). Consequently, the value of the grazing landscape for the local populace is diminishing.
Furthermore, residents initiated the installation of concrete (cement) stairs and iron railings along trails in Sagarmatha National Park up to elevations exceeding 4,000 m. These concrete trail sections introduced elements of urban infrastructure into the alpine zone of the Himalaya. In 2023, one of the communities within the park began to manage eroded trails inappropriately. This inappropriate management stems from the residents' lack of understanding regarding the value of the trail landscape, as they perceive it solely as a component of their daily environment.
Consequently, it is imperative to minimize the disparity between the two user groups regarding the value and role of the landscape (trail landscape = grazing landscape). Furthermore, it is crucial for international researchers to provide residents with opportunities for increased awareness. Turf exfoliation and vegetation degradation on grazing slopes can be elucidated through field surveys utilizing drones and NDVI. However, the summer months are not conducive to NDVI surveys in the monsoon Himalaya, and obtaining permits for drone surveys is exceedingly challenging and costly, impeding mountain trail landscape studies.
Mountain trail landscapes play a central role in trekking activities. For trekkers, the mountain trail landscape represents an environment where they can encounter diverse alpine flora, fauna, and glaciers, as well as observe traditional livelihoods such as yak herding, which holds significant value. Conversely, for local inhabitants, mountain trails serve as essential infrastructure for their livelihood, with many residents utilizing these pathways for livestock grazing. Thus, the residents perceive the mountain trail landscape primarily as a grazing landscape.
Grazing landscapes are characterized by forests (in low-altitude areas) or grasslands (in high-altitude areas) and micro-topography known as grazing terracettes. Bovine, caprine, and ovine species graze in the forests in the lower areas, predominantly in the buffer zone, while yaks and their hybrids graze on extensive grassland slopes in the higher areas, primarily in the core zone. Grazing terracettes have developed on slopes. These formations are generally considered to enhance slope stability when the number of livestock remains within an appropriate range. Moreover, grazing terracettes featuring a diverse array of alpine flora provide a significant experiential element for trekkers.
However, due to the development of trekking tourism, in conjunction with multiple other factors, livestock grazing, predominantly of yaks, has been declining in Sagarmatha National Park since approximately 1990. As grazing diminishes, the grazing landscapes begin to deteriorate. Furthermore, in regions where the government has initiated milk procurement and cheese production, such as Langtang National Park, the livestock population has increased substantially, resulting in shallow soil erosion (turf exfoliation). Consequently, the value of the grazing landscape for the local populace is diminishing.
Furthermore, residents initiated the installation of concrete (cement) stairs and iron railings along trails in Sagarmatha National Park up to elevations exceeding 4,000 m. These concrete trail sections introduced elements of urban infrastructure into the alpine zone of the Himalaya. In 2023, one of the communities within the park began to manage eroded trails inappropriately. This inappropriate management stems from the residents' lack of understanding regarding the value of the trail landscape, as they perceive it solely as a component of their daily environment.
Consequently, it is imperative to minimize the disparity between the two user groups regarding the value and role of the landscape (trail landscape = grazing landscape). Furthermore, it is crucial for international researchers to provide residents with opportunities for increased awareness. Turf exfoliation and vegetation degradation on grazing slopes can be elucidated through field surveys utilizing drones and NDVI. However, the summer months are not conducive to NDVI surveys in the monsoon Himalaya, and obtaining permits for drone surveys is exceedingly challenging and costly, impeding mountain trail landscape studies.