National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) NMHS Annual Progress Report – Pro forma

Kindly fill the NMHS Annual Progress Report segregated into following 11 segments, as applicable to the objectives & quantifiable outcomes of your NMHS Project. 1. Project Information 2. Project Site Details 3. Project Activities Chart w.r.t. Timeframe [Gantt or PERT] 4. Financial and Resource Information 5. Equipment and Asset Information 6. Expenditure Statement and Utilization Certificate (UC) 7. Project Beneficiary Groups 8. Project Progress Summary (as applicable to the project) 9. Project Linkages (with concerned Institutions/ State Agencies) 10. Knowledge Products – Publication, recommendations, etc. 11. Project Concluding Remarks

Kindly attach a descriptive Annexure/ Files separately for the segments marked for the detailed description required. Please let us know in case of any query at: [email protected]

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NMHS Progress Report (Period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020)

1. Project Information

Project ID: NMHS/MG-2017 Sanction Date: 22/11/2017

Project Title: Understanding ’s socio-ecological processes to provide inputs for landscape-level development strategies BTG:

PI and Affiliation Pankaj Raina, Wildlife Warden, (Institution): Department of Wildlife Protection, UT Ladakh Name & Address of the Co-PI, if any: n/a

Structured Major activities of the project during the year 2019-20 were focused on Abstract - data collection to spatially cover the Ladakh landscape across different detailing the seasons. These activities includes occupancy surveys and camera current year trapping in National Park which have been completed. Currently progress [Word camera trapping exercise is being expanded at Ladakh landscape level. Limit 250 words]: 24 large mammals have been radio-collared and the data is being retrieved. Further, vegetation sampling across Ladakh landscape is under progress and documentation of plant usage pattern in Sowa Rigpa system of medicine have been accomplished. In addition, using the RS & GIS platform a complete inventory of glaciers in Ladakh has been prepared and a time series analysis of the change dynamics of glaciers has been conducted. Also the assessment of land use and landcover of Ladakh landscape has been accomplished and change detection in the landuse of the landscape is under progress. The activities in the project accomplished so far and those under progress will establish baselines for important indicators of the region’s biodiversity and climate change adaptation, documentation of current resource usage patterns, evaluation of various developmental projects and economic activities, and engagement with various stakeholders. A national workshop was organised on “carbon Neutral Ladakh: A new beginning” focusing on discussion and inputs for achieving carbon neutrality in Ladakh and for sustainable management of resources in the region. Three policy documents one each on Disaster management, sustainable tourism and biodiversity conservation of Ladakh have been prepared and submitted to government of UT Ladakh.

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Project Partner Affiliations Role & Responsibilities Name Partner 1 LAHDC, Leh and + UT Overall supervision and policy implementation Partner 2 Wildlife Institute of Academic collaboration Partner 3 Ladakh Snow Leopard Foundation Logistical support and manpower for fieldwork [Add]

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2. Project Site Details Project Site: UT Ladakh IHR States Covered: UT Ladakh Long. & Lat.: 77.563828°, 34.150173° Site Maps* (No.):

Site Photographs* (No.):

*Attach a separate Descriptive Annexure/ Files (.JPG, .TIFF, etc.). 3. Project Activities Chart w.r.t. Timeframe [Gantt or PERT]

PROJECT ACTIVITIES DESCRIPTION OF WORK UNDERTAKEN (YEAR 2019-2020) QUANTIFIABLE OUTPUTS

Project Activity 1 To fulfill this objective, data was collected for resource [Name of descriptive To assess and use from different parts of Ladakh: namely, Hemis NP, Annexure/ File attached understand the Changthang, Kargil, and valley. separately] current position of Data was collected on the usage patterns of medicinal Appendix 1: The Sowa Rigpa resources in the plants in traditional Sowa Rigpa system by questionnaire medicine system in Ladakh. Ladakh region and survey of 70 Amchis, 38 plant collectors and 11 retailers Appendix 3 : Studying deduce future across Ladakh. pastoralism in Changthang, impacts to resources eastern Ladakh. within the context of In order to study the usages pattern of plant resources in Appendix 4: Mapping and the development pasturelands of Changthang various methods including evaluating patterns of trends of the region interviews of grazers, field surveys, GIS platform, polygon temporal glacier changes in and create surveys were used. Ladakh Appendix 5: Land use and awareness of the In addition, a complete inventory and time series analysis same. land cover analysis for of glaciers and landuse cover analysis of Ladakh has been Ladakh

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completed in order to understand the natural resource usage patterns across Ladakh. For more details please see the attached Appendices. Project Activity 2 Polygon search method: sign survey and transect walks: 5 [Name of descriptive sq km grids. Total grids covered: 535 in total. The data is Annexure/ File attached To conduct currently being analysed and surveys are being carried separately] population surveys out in other areas. of key biodiversity Appendix 1 species (fauna and Camera trapping: 2 sq km grids: 156 grids in total. In The Sowa Rigpa medicine flora) to evaluate the addition, cameras installed in earlier were retrieved in system in Ladakh (2019-20) health of the this period. So far, a total of 683,252 exposures have ecosystem in Ladakh been recorded and are currently being analysed. 30 Appendix 2 and create cameras have yet to be retrieved. Monitoring of Snow Leopard, awareness of the Co-Predators and their Prey Vegetation plots: plot for trees: 10 sq m, shrubs 5 sq m same. in the Trans-Himalayan and herbs: 1 sq m: 3,581 plots in total region of Ladakh through

61 Visual Encounter Surveys and opportunistic Camera Trap Survey 2019- observations for herpetofauna. 2020 Camera trapping Appendix 7 24 villages surveyed in Zangskar sub-division in to collect data on human-wildlife interactions Report on Rapid Assessment with specific focus on large carnivores (snow leopards, of herpetofauna brown bear, wolves, feral dogs): 495 questionnaire respondents. In addition, questionnaires were also administered to 180 households in 16 villages of Shakar- Chiktan block and neighbouring areas.

Collected data from 70 traditional medicine practitioners (amchis), vendors, plant collectors with regard to traditional ecological knowledge and market for medicinal plants.

For more details please see the attached Appendices.

Project Activity 3 Questionnaire surveys of various stakeholders on Chadar [Name of descriptive trek (600 respondents in 2018-19 and 214 in 2019-20) Annexure/ File attached To study and and feedback forms from 2,665 tourists in 2018-19 and separately] understand the 1,618 in 2019-20, snow leopard tourism (68 respondents impact of tourism on Appendix 6 in 2018-19 and 64 in 2019-20 including tourists and the ecology and the villagers), and Pangong-tso (1,254 respondents). In (A case change in balance of addition, 17 households in two different valleys and five study on winter tourism: the resources campsites popular for snow leopard tourism were Chadar trek) including trends in intensively monitored for five weeks to estimate their commodity fuelwood consumption. Similarly, waste generation consumption (quantity and content) for individual groups of trekkers patterns, and carbon on Chadar has also been documented in 2018-19 and emissions of the 2019-20. region within the national context and For more details please see the attached Appendices.

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create awareness of the same. Project Activity 4 In this period, background data for resource usage and [Name of descriptive distribution of biodiversity was collected and inserted on Annexure/ File attached To study the impacts a GIS platform. The locations of various renewable separately] of renewable energy energy projects in Ladakh were also identified. projects already Preparation for data collection specific to renewable deployed in the energy projects were in terms of finalisation of a research region and plan and preparation of data collection instruments. effectiveness of such projects as an adaptation and mitigation strategy for Indian Himalayan Region. Project Activity 5 Following the directions of Hon’ble Prime Mister of India, Appendix 8 to develop Ladakh as a carbon neutral entity, a 4 days To design and Ladakh and Disaster: Action nationals summit on the theme ‘Carbon Neutral Ladakh: formulate effective Points for Management and A New Beginning’ during 2-5 March 2020 was organised. environmental Mitigation Three policy documents were prepared for designing management effective environmental management strategies in Appendix 9 strategies and devise different domains to assist government of Ladakh UT for strategies to Sustainability of Tourism in a green governance. These policy documents includes enhance human Ladakh: Review, Disaster mitigation and management, Sustainable ecosystem processes Recommendations &Action tourism management and biodiversity conservation in for the Ladakh Agenda Ladakh. These policy documents have been submitted to region and provide government of Ladakh UT for implementation and copies resource of the same of the same are attached herewith as Appendices. to the Ministries of *A similar policy document the Government of In addition, as an outcome of the summit a vision on biodiversity conservation India and Indian document for achieving carbon neutrality is Ladakh is of Ladakh is under review Himalayan Regions. being prepared by MoEFCC in association with Ladakh UT administration.

Project Activity 6 One workshop was held from 2 to 5 March, 2020 in Leh Appendix 10 on the theme, ‘Carbon Neutral Ladakh: A New Beginning’ To organize Proceedings of the in collaboration with G.B. Pant National Institute of seminars, Workshop Himalayan Environment – Ladakh Regional Centre. There conferences with Recommendations and were around 100 participants from Ladakh and other stakeholders, Action Points parts of India and they included government officials, experts, planners conservation managers, scientists, researchers, Carbon Neutral Ladakh: A and decision-makers, policymakers, security force personnel, entrepreneurs, New Beginning knowledge partners, health practitioners etc cutting across various sectors and dissemination thematic disciplines. The workshop covered themes such partners in the as carbon neutrality in Ladakh, Sustainable Development Indian Himalayan Goals framework, ecology, sustainable livelihood States in order to opportunities, sustainability of tourism, disaster and acquire expertise, mitigation of risks, decision support system for planning NMHS 2020 NMHS-Annual Progress Report (APR) Pro Forma Page 6 of 19

knowledge for the and management, and green investment. For detailed monitoring of the proceedings of the summit please refer the attached environment in Appendix 10. Ladakh and facilitate the discussion of appropriate adaptation and mitigation projects such as the development renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

4. Financial and Resource Information Note: A separate bank account is expected to be opened for NMHS Project as per the provision of Direct Beneficiary Account (DBA) as laid out by the Govt. of India and also facilitate the audit of accounts. The interest earned out of the NMHS project funds should be reported clearly in the utilization certificate.

Total Grant: Grant Received Date:

Project Affiliations/ Institution Budget Allocated to Work Done by each Project Partner(s) Partner Partner 1 Wildlife Institute of [Name of descriptive Annexure/ India, Dehra Doon File attached separately] Partner 2 LAHDC (Leh and Kargil) [Name of descriptive Annexure/ and UT Administration File attached separately] Partner 3 Department of Wildlife [Name of descriptive Annexure/ Protection, Ladakh File attached separately] region Partner 4 Local media houses in [Name of descriptive Annexure/ Ladakh File attached separately] [Add]

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Project Staff Information: S. No. Name Qualification Designation Fellowship/ Wages paid Remarks 1. Anchal MSc in GIS and Research 40,000/- Bhasin Remote Sensing Manager(RAIII) 2. Kunzes MA in History JRF (Research 25,000/- Dolma Administrator) 3. Niaz Khan MSc in Zoology Research 25,000/- Assistant (SPF.JRF) 4. Sonam PhD in Life Sciences Research 40,000/- Chorol Manager(RAIII) 5. Sunetro PhD in Development Research 40,000/- Ghosal & Environment Manager(RAIII)

5. Equipment and Asset Information S. Equipment Details Cost Date of Photographs Lowest No. Name (Qty) (Make/ Installation of Quotation, if Model) Equipment* not purchased 1. Equipment 1 Hobo 17,500/unit Datalogger (150) 2. Equipment 2 Reconyx 46,000/unit Camera Traps 3. Equipment 3 Water 5,90,000/unit Quality analyser [Add] [Add] Note: Attach a Descriptive Annexure/ File separately. 6. Expenditure Statement and Utilization Certificate Please update the annual Expenditure Statement and Utilization Certificate (UC) periodically. Expenditure Information: S. No. Financial Position/Budget Head Funds Sanctioned Expenditure % of Total cost

I Salaries/Manpower cost 11642400.00 4744219.00 II Travel 3600000.00 793173.00 III Expendables &Consumables 0 0 IV Contingencies 2000000.00 42860.00 V Activities & Other Project cost 10200000.00 5786476.00 VI Institutional Charges 500000.00 0 VII Equipments 9200000.00 8011710.00 Total 37142400.00 19378438.00 Interest accrued 154597.00 Grand Total Period Expenditure Statement* Utilization Certificate (UC)* Annual [Attach in the prescribed format] [Attach in the prescribed format]

*Attach the descriptive Annexure/ File in the prescribed NMHS format.

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7. Project Beneficiary Groups

Beneficiary Groups Target Achieved [Capacity Building] No. of Beneficiaries with income 0 0 generation: No. of stakeholders trained, 50 (20) 40 (6) particularly women: No. of capacity building Workshops/ 1 1 trainings: No. of Awareness & outreach programmes: No. of Research/ Manpower 50 40 developed:

8. Project Progress Summary* (as applicable to the project)

Description (Name of descriptive Description Total (Numeric) Annexure/ File attached)*

IHR States Covered 1 • of Ladakh

.... (attach photos) Project Site/ Field Stations Developed: • ... (attach maps)

No. of Patents filed (Description): None •

• Proceedings of the Carbon Neutral Article/ Review/ Research Paper/ Publication: 1 Ladakh summit

New Methods/ Modellings Developed • (description in 250 words):

No. of Trainings (No. of Beneficiaries): • • ‘Carbon Neutral Ladakh: A New Workshop: Beginning’ held from 2 to 5 March, 2020 in Leh .... (attach maps about location & Demonstration Models (Site): • photos) Livelihood Options: None •

Training Manuals: None •

Processing Units: .... (attach photos) •

Species Collection: •

Species identified: • We have so far created maps for landuse (2019), watershed, weather Database (Numeric/Images/GIS Maps, etc.): Yes. data, linear infrastructure (roads), block and district boundaries, village boundaries, nightlight data, human NMHS 2020 NMHS-Annual Progress Report (APR) Pro Forma Page 9 of 19

footprint data, protected area boundaries, glacier boundaries (2019, 2008, 1998), lake boundaries, species occurrence data, and data-loggers. Copies of the map are attached below. *Attach a separate descriptive Annexure/ File. g Note: Numeric Database should be provided in .xls format. Photos/Maps should be submitted in high quality (min. 300 dpi res.) compatible formats viz., JPEG, .JPG, .PNG, .SHP, etc. along with suitable figure legend/ caption.

9. Project Linkages (with concerned Institutions/ State Agencies) S. No. Institute/ Organization Type of Linkages Brief Description 1. GB Pant National Institute of Institutional collaboration Himalayan Environment, to organise the summit on Ladakh Regional Centre ‘Carbon Neutral Ladakh: A New Beginning’ in March 2020.

Note: Attach a separate, descriptive Annexure/ File.

10. Knowledge Products – Publication, recommendations, etc. Time Period Publications (Research Papers, Information Material, Policy drafts, Patents, etc.) Annual [Year ...... ] [Name of descriptive Annexure/ File attached]

Note: Attach a separate, descriptive Annexure/ File.

11. Project Concluding Remarks Kindly update the following Progress Parameters for the Reporting Period:

Progress made against Project Quantifiable Output Monitoring Indicators Remarks Objectives against each objective (specified in Sanction Letter) 1. To assess and 3 Annual Assessment Although major data Appendix 1: The understand the Reports on current collection has been Sowa Rigpa current position status of resources in accomplished but process of medicine system in of resources in Ladakh Region in the data collection on usage of Ladakh. the Ladakh Contexts of Climate some resource used in Appendix 3 : region and Change and different parts of Ladakh is Studying deduce future Development still under progress. Various pastoralism in impacts to resource for which Changthang, resources assessments are being eastern Ladakh. within the conducted includes land use Appendix 4: context of the land cover, fuel usage, Mapping and development pasturelands, plants and evaluating patterns trends of the water usage in selected of temporal glacier region and villages in watersheds. Three changes in Ladakh create detailed status reports will Appendix 5: Land awareness of be submitted at the use and land cover the same. completion of the project. analysis for Ladakh NMHS 2020 NMHS-Annual Progress Report (APR) Pro Forma Page 10 of 19

Summary reports of the data collected so far are attached in the indicated Appendices. 2. To conduct Data sets and reports Polygon surveys and visual Appendix 1 population on the health of key encounter surveys for The Sowa Rigpa surveys of key species and the distribution assessment of biodiversity ecosystem of Ladakh in major species in Ladakh has medicine system in species (fauna terms of linkages been accomplished. Camera Ladakh (2019-20) and flora) to between climate trapping for population Appendix 2 evaluate the change and ecosystem assessment of keys species is health of the health in 2 districts of at the final stage. A total of Monitoring of ecosystem in Ladakh for 24 large mammals have Snow Leopard, Co- Ladakh and dissemination to been radio-collared for Predators and their create decision-makers. assessment of their habitat, Prey in the Trans- awareness of foraging, predation and Himalayan region the same. Establishment of one other behavioral aspects. of Ladakh through (1) research cell for Vegetation sampling and Camera Trap Environment, CC assessment of medicinal Survey 2019-2020 Studies and for plants used in Sowa Rigpa Camera trapping Conducting Biodiversity system has been completed. Population surveys. More than 200 data loggers Appendix 7 for recording of Report on Rapid microclimatic variations are Assessment of being employed across herpetofauna Ladakh landscape. Data analysis for most of these aspects is under progress. The database and reports on the health of key species and ecosystem in respect to climate change will be submitted at the completion of the project. Summary reports of the same are enclosed herewith.

The research cell was established in 2018-19 and continued carrying out research in 2019-20. 3. To study and 3 Evaluation reports on Field data on the impact of Appendix 6 understand the impact assessment of tourism in Chaddar trek and Tourism in Ladakh impact of Tourism on the Ecology, Snow leopard tourism in tourism on the Variation in Resource has (A case study on ecology and the Consumption Patterns, been collected. winter tourism: change in Regional Carbon Questionnaire surveys for Chadar trek) balance of the Emission Patterns. assessments of various resources aspects on the impact and including trends opportunities associated in commodity with tourism in different consumption parts of Ladakh is under patterns, and progress. carbon

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emissions of the Analysis of the data and region within report writing for Impact the national assessment of Tourism on context and ecology and resource create consumption patterns across awareness of Ladakh is under progress. the same. 4. To study the Creation of thematic The content and structure impacts of dashboards (5) and for the website has been renewable website for developed and the website is energy projects environmental expected to be operational already monitoring and data. in the next reporting period. deployed in the region and effectiveness of such projects as an adaptation and mitigation strategy for Indian Himalayan Region. 5. To design and Compendium of Policy Three policy documents Appendix 8 formulate prescriptions on have been prepared for Ladakh and effective Climate Change Issues effective environmental Disaster: Action environmental and Environment management in Ladakh and Points for management Concerns in Ladakh have been submitted to Management and strategies and government of Ladakh UT. devise Mitigation These policy documents strategies to includes Disaster mitigation Appendix 9 enhance human ecosystem and management in Ladakh, Sustainability of processes for Sustainable tourism Tourism in Ladakh: the Ladakh management in Ladakh and Review, region and biodiversity conservation Recommendations provide and sustainable &Action Agenda resource of the management in Ladakh. same to the Ministries of *A similar policy Government of document on India and Indian biodiversity Himalayan conservation of Regions. Ladakh is under review 6. To organize Organization of 3 A national workshop was Appendix 10 seminars, regional conferences held from 2 to 5 March, Proceedings of the conferences with stakeholders, 2020 with around 100 with experts, planners and participants representing Workshop stakeholders, decision-makers, different stakeholders. Recommendations experts, knowledge partners, and Action Points planners and dissemination partners. Two more workshops are Carbon Neutral decision- being planned in the final Ladakh: A New makers, year of project, one for Beginning NMHS 2020 NMHS-Annual Progress Report (APR) Pro Forma Page 12 of 19

knowledge awareness generation partners, among the teachers, dissemination researchers and students of partners in the Ladakh and other for Indian administration of UT Ladakh Himalayan and policymakers for States in order dissemination of the project to acquire findings and ways of its expertise, implementation in Ladakh. knowledge for the monitoring of the environment in Ladakh and facilitate the discussion of appropriate adaptation and mitigation projects such as the development renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Methodology (in brief): A multi-method approach is being used by this research related to each objective. This includes questionnaire surveys, unstructured interviews, camera trapping, polygon search, visual encounter surveys, vegetation sampling, RS &GIS platform, social mapping etc. Major Research Achievements: The use of telemetry on a community of species that live in this landscape including snow leopards (five), blue sheep (six), red fox (seven), lynx (one) and wolf (one). This is yielding data on territories, spatial and temporal patterns, interaction with other species in the landscape, and how these species navigate the mosaic of diverse land use patterns that constitute the Ladakhi landscape.

Baseline data on biodiversity distribution in time and space across the Ladakh landscape is being collected through various methods including camera trapping, polygon surveys, visual encounter surveys, vegetation sampling, questionnaire surveys, social surveys, RS & GIS platform. This has been a major knowledge gap as previous studies have been spatially and temporally restricted. This data is being generated through occupancy surveys (643 grids of 5 sq km have been completed so far), vegetation plots (3,581 plots including 10sq m plots for shrubs and 5 sq m plots for herbs completed so far), and the use of camera traps

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GIS maps

Map: Glaciers in Ladakh

MAP: Human footprint on the Ladakhi landscape

MAP: Land use in Ladakh

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Map: Delineation of pastures used by different pastoral groups in Changthang

Map: Grids for polygon search and sign survey

Map: Protected areas in Ladakh

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Map: Road network in Ladakh

Map: Potential Species Occurrence value for snow leopards in Ladakh

Map: Watersheds in Ladakh

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Map: Data-loggers placed in the Ladakh landscape

Photographs from the field:

Vegetation survey

Vegetation plots

Installation of data loggers

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Installation of spot trace

Conducting interviews about pasture management systems

Hon’ble Lieutenant of UT Ladakh, Shri R. K. Mathur with participants of ‘Carbon Neutral Summit: A New Beginning’

Screen grab of film made on Chadar trek

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