Feasibility and Baseline Studies #1 Understanding the Transboundary Karakoram-Pamir Landscape 1 Feasibility and Baseline Studies #1 Understanding the Transboundary Karakoram-Pamir Landscape Wu Ning, Muhammad Ismail, Srijana Joshi, Faisal M Qamar, Karma Phuntsho, Yang Weikang, Babar Khan, Yi Shaoliang, Rajan Kotru, and Eklabya Sharma International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal, November 2014 Published by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal Copyright © 2014 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) All rights reserved. Published 2014 ISBN 978 92 9115 326 8 (printed) 978 92 9115 327 5 (electronic) LCCN 2014-347287 Production team A Beatrice Murray (Consultant editor) Amy Sellmyer (Editor) Sushil Dhungana (Consultant Graphic designer) Asha Kaji Thaku (Editorial assistant) Printed and bound in Nepal by Quality Printers Pvt. Ltd, Kathmandu, Nepal Note This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. ICIMOD would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from ICIMOD. The views and interpretations in this publication are those of the author(s). They are not attributable to ICIMOD and do not imply the expression of any opinion concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or the endorsement of any product. This publication is available in electronic form at www.icimod.org/himaldoc Citation: Ning, W; Ismail, M; Joshi, S; Qamar, FM; Phuntsho, K; Weikang, Y; Khan, B; Shaoliang, Y; Kotru, R; Sharma, E (2014) Understanding the Transboundary Karakoram-Pamir Landscape. Feasibility and Baseline Studies #1. Kathmandu: ICIMOD Contents Foreword vii Contributors viii Acknowledgements ix Acronyms and Abbreviations x Executive Summary xi 1. Introduction 1 Background 1 The Karakoram-Pamir Landscape 1 The Need for Conservation 2 The Karakoram-Pamir Landscape Initiative 2 The Baseline Study 3 2. Characteristics and Land Cover of the Karakoram-Pamir Landscape 7 Delineation of the Target Landscape 7 Protected Areas 9 Physical Characteristics 10 People and Livelihoods 13 Land Cover 14 3. Biodiversity 19 Flora 19 Fauna 23 Avifauna 25 Freshwater Fish 26 Ecological Adaptation 27 Loss of Biodiversity 27 Threatened and Endangered Flora 27 Threatened Faunal Diversity 28 Agrobiodiversity – Threats and Challenges 29 Invasive Alien Species 30 4. Ecosystems and Vertical Zonation 31 Ecoregions in the KPL Pilot Site 31 Vertical Zonation 32 Wetlands 35 iii 5. Threats to the Environment and Biodiversity 37 Challenges 37 Climate Change 38 Human Disturbance 40 6. Rangeland and Pastoral Development 45 Traditional Pastoralism 45 Forage and Fodder 47 Animal Health and Genetic Resources 47 Animal Products 48 7. Cultural Heritage and Tourism 51 Cultural and Religious Heritage Sites 58 Opportunities for Tourism Development 55 8. Livelihood Diversification 57 Options for Livelihood Diversification 58 Prospects for Livelihood Diversification 60 9. Governance and Policies 63 International and Regional Instruments 63 National Policies and Governance Structure 66 Traditional Institutions and Customary Laws 68 Policy Constraints and Conflicts 69 Reconciling the Policy Environment 70 Enhancing Regional Cooperation 71 10. The Way Forward 73 Environment and Biodiversity 73 Sustainable Livelihoods 74 Cross-Cutting Issues 76 Conclusion 77 References 78 Annex: Timeline of Events in the Development of the KPL Initiative 83 iv Figures Figure 1: Overview of the KPL pilot area 8 Figure 2: Major protected areas in and close to the KPL region 9 Figure 3: Distribution of elevation in the KPL pilot site 10 Figure 4: Average monthly temperature and precipitation in a) Skardu and b) Gilgit 12 Figure 5: Land cover in the KPL pilot site area 15 Figure 6: Land cover distribution across elevation zones 15 Figure 7: Change in signature of key vegetation types with time in the KPL pilot site 16 Figure 8: Spatio-temporal pattern of vegetation across the KPL pilot site and surrounding area in 2011 16 Figure 9: Intra-annual snow cover distribution of the KPL pilot site and surrounding area in 2011 17 Figure 10: Spatio-temporal pattern of snow cover across the KPL pilot site and surrounding area in 2011 17 Figure 11: Ecoregions in the KPL pilot site 32 Figure 12: Average annual area weighted mean daily temperatures 1960–2010 38 Figure 13: Response of herders to the questions a) Do you feel threatened by different aspects of climate change? b) What may happen to things you depend upon due to climate change? c) Why are changes in climate threatening? (194 herders interviewed) 40 Figure 14: Pastoral mobility in Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan 46 Figure 15: Governance structure in Taxkorgan County 68 v Tables Table 1: Protected areas in the KPL region 9 Table 2: Elevation zones in the KPL pilot area 10 Table 3: Climate data for Taxkorgan County (1971−2000) 13 Table 4: Land cover classes in the KPL pilot site area 14 Table 5: Seed plants in the KNP 19 Table 6: Endemic taxa in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan 20 Table 7: Spermatophyte life forms in the Chinese Pamir 21 Table 8: Medicinal plants used by the inhabitants of KNP 21 Table 9: Mammals observed in the KNP 24 Table 10: Birds observed in the KNP 25 Table 11: Endangered plant species in Naltar and Karga 27 Table 12: Valuable/significant and endangered wildlife species observed in the KNP 28 Table 13: Ecoregions in the KPL pilot site 31 Table 14: Seasonal pastures and their carrying capacity in Taxkorgan County 47 Table 15: Key tourist attractions in the part of KPL within Pakistan 53 Table 16: Foreign and domestic tourist arrivals in Gilgit-Baltistan 55 vi Foreword The Karakoram-Pamir Landscape Initiative is a regional initiative supporting cooperation between China and Pakistan for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the western Hindu Kush Himalayan region. The initiative seeks to conserve and sustainably manage this unique landscape using a transboundary ecosystem management approach. It was conceived by ICIMOD and is being implemented in collaboration with partner institutions in China and Pakistan with the support of ONE UN Joint Programme on Environment (JPE), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). As in much of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, this area is facing many challenges as a result of climate change, globalization, environmental degradation, and others. The initiative uses the landscape and ecosystem approach advocated by the Convention on Biological Diversity to directly address these challenges, promoting the goals and approaches described in the Convention’s Programme of Work on Mountain Biodiversity. The present report aims to provide an overview of available information on the major features of the landscape, its ecosystems and biodiversity, and the socioeconomic and cultural situation. It was compiled through the efforts of many scientists and stakeholders in the two countries. The information is intended to support the development of a conservation strategy and associated comprehensive environmental monitoring action plan for the landscape, as well as being useful in the formulation of national strategies and regional cooperation frameworks. Our heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation are extended to all the national partners and other stakeholders who contributed to the consultative process and who are helping to build the regional networks that will provide the basis for transboundary cooperation between the two countries. This report provides a valuable example of regional cooperation in action. National ownership and community-based conservation initiatives provide the foundation for the sustainability of the initiative, and it is expected that the participatory process of shared responsibility and differentiated approaches will further evolve as the initiative progresses. David Molden, Ph.D Director General, ICIMOD vii Contributors ICIMOD Core Team: Wu Ning, Muhammad Ismail, Srijana Joshi, Karma Phuntsho, Yi Shaoliang, Faisal Mueen Qamar, Ritu Meher Shrestha, Zhu Dan, Wang Jinniu, Liu Xiao, Rajan Kotru, Eklabya Sharma Contributors: Gopal Singh Rawat, Abdul Wahid Jasra, Krishna Prasad Oli, Nakul Chettri, Bandana Shakya, Manohara Khadka, Hammad Gilani, Farid Ahmad, Rekha Rasaily, Prabha Shrestha KPL-China Core Team: Yang Weikang, Liu Wenjiang, Xu Wenxuan (Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS) Contributors: Xia Canjun1, Xu Feng1, Qi Changjiang2, Jiang Zhigang3, Ma Keping4, Jiang Jianping5, Wang Qian5, Zhang Yongmei5, Long Ruijun6 1 Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS; 2Taxkorgan Nature Reserve; 3Institute of Zoology, CAS; 4Institute of Botany, CAS; 5Chengdu Institute of Biology, CAS; 6Lanzhou University KPL-Pakistan Core Team: Ashiq Ahmad Khan, Babar Khan, Muhammad Jaffar Contributors: Usman Manzoor, Saleem Ullah, Amanullah Khan, Gul Najam Jamy, Najma Najam, Khadim Hussain Saleem, Walayat Noor, Muhammad Ismail Zafar, Muzaffar Uddin viii Acknowledgements This publication is the result of an effort by researchers and practitioners to examine various issues related to biodiversity