towards project snow leopard - Nature Conservation Foundation

90 • Appendix 1
entire region has major potential for tourism. Some areas already receive excessive
tourism while others are completely ignored. Tourism benefits do not reach local
communities in a substantial way. There is a need for developing conservation-linked
tourism that is beneficial to local communities, and generates their support for
conservation efforts.
1.4.2. Unplanned developmental activities: Developmental activities currently being
undertaken in some areas are potentially detrimental to wildlife. Developmental
efforts need to be guided in a manner that is not detrimental to the environment and
wildlife.
1.4.3. Lack of education and awareness among local communities regarding wildlife and
conservation: There has been a general lack of effort to promote conservation education
and awareness amongst local communities in particular.
1.4.4. Lack of awareness among policy-makers: There is lack of awareness among some policy
makers (politicians and senior bureaucrats) about biodiversity values, ecosystem
services, local dependencies, wildlife populations and human-wildlife conflicts.
While information on these aspects is beginning to be collected and compiled, there
remains a gap in its availability in the right format to the policy makers.
1.4.5. Lack of modern, scientific efforts at participatory conservation: Given the sparse resources,
pervasive presence of wildlife and pervasive human use in the area, conservation
efforts have to be made participatory. Local communities need to be co-opted into
designing and implementing conservation strategies. The department has not yet
been able to undertake such activities. Part of the problem is related to the lack of
appropriate training in these approaches.
2. Limitations/Shortcomings of Present High Altitude Protected Area Network and
Management
2.1. Unregulated resource use within PAs: Most existing PAs of the region have not had final
notification. The department does not regulate human use within the existing PAs.
Resource use intensity within PAs is similar to the pressures on land outside.
2.2. Need for scientific understanding, based on which PA boundaries may need to be re-aligned:
Some PAs are too large to be managed effectively, while others are too small. Most PAs
include large areas of little biological value, such as large villages or permafrost areas, and
yet do not include adjacent critical wildlife populations. There is thus a need to scientifically
re-align PA boundaries.
2.3. The J&K Wildlife Act (2002) amendment does not have the Community Reserve category:
It is clear that most of the project area has widespread wildlife values, going beyond the
existing PAs. It is also clear that most local people are dependent on local resources to
a very large extent, and exclusion of these people from PAs will not always be possible,