Qomolangma National Nature Preserve

Located on the “Roof of the World” the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve (QNNP), extends over a 34,000 square kilometre stretch of the Himalayas, including Qomolangma (Mt. Everest). Founded in 1989, and protected by the government since 1994, the QNNP was one of the first nature preserves in the world to be administered and protected entirely by local volunteers. Through their continued efforts, significant achievements have been made in halting rampant deforestation, unregulated tourism and illegal hunting of rare wildlife in the Qomolangma region. Active reforestation and garbage collection programs have also been undertaken to restore the environment.

Pendeba Program

The Pendeba Program, established in 1994 in the QNNP region, pioneers a community-based approach to meeting conservation goals through social development. The program focuses on health, capacity building, and environmental protection. “Pendeba”, literally translated, is Tibetan for “a person who benefits the community.” Pendebas are men and women trained in the practical skills of primary health, maternal and child health, income generation, kitchen gardens, sustainable forestry, and community decision-making. The Pendeba Program was first developed to meet a growing need for volunteers from local communities to act as Preserve wardens for the QNNP. In return for their time, these volunteers asked for assistance in tackling health and other concerns. The program has since been extended to the Four Great Rivers region, with a total of 680 Pendebas now being trained throughout Tibet.

A Pendeba story from Dingri County
Mrs. Chhoden is a Pendeba of the Gangga Xaing Ngapa village of the Dingri County. She is 40 years old with three children, ages 3 to 15. After her first training in 1996, she started teaching women about sanitation, safe-motherhood, family planning, and nature conservation. In the beginning, she had many problems motivating villagers to learn new behaviors, but through persistence, good advice, and wise referrals to the regional hospital, she has gained their confidence. Today, community members and leaders seek her advice. She and her village have planted more than 1,000 trees, established a water system with three taps (which has led to a decrease in diarrhea), and have saved the lives of many women and children. Mrs. Chhoden continues to attend the refresher training courses provided by FutureGenerations.

Four Great Rivers Project

Introduction
FutureGenerations/CHINA, in partnership with the Tibet Department of Science and Technology and the David Suzuki Foundation, are working together to protect 46 million acres of Eastern Tibet. The Four Great Rivers area, which spans across Chamdo and Linzhi prefectures, encompasses the headwaters of the Brahmaputra, Salween, and Mekong rivers and has downstream ramifications for over 1 billion people in eight countries. With ecosystems that range from tropical habitats to artic-like mountain summits, it not only acts as a sanctuary to some of the most extensive biodiversity on the planet, but is also home to 800,000 people. FutureGenerations/CHINA engages local communities in the conservation of these ecosystems upon which so many depend.

Project Goals
The goal of the Four Great Rivers project is to conserve human communities, the ecosystems upon which they depend, and all biodiversity in the area.

Project Implementation
The project partners provide training on modeling and mapping ecological and cultural data to designate core areas to protect biodiversity, corridors to enable wildlife to migrate, and human-use zones to support sustainable economies. These models and maps also identify economic opportunities for non-timber forest products, medicinal plants, and ecotourism. The goal is to help bring sustainable management to a part of the world that needs it the most—a global biodiversity hotspot that is also an area of local human need. The project was initiated in 1997, is currently in its final training and planning stages.