Pastoralism and Rangeland Management on the Tibetan Plateau in ...

of the National Scenic Area List <strong>and</strong> the National Natural Heritage List. It is also
one of the regional-level nature reserves.
The NSA is a world-class ecotourism spot, with typical natural ecology, fine air
<strong>and</strong> pure water. In addition to its aesthetic values, the NSA is home to unique
architectural styles, an orderly society <strong>and</strong> original folk customs, attracting
many tourists from home <strong>and</strong> abroad. It is one of the tourist attractions that
helps place Tibet as one of the top tourist destinations of the world.
In the area as a whole there are more than ten temples, with four around Lake
Namtso, namely the Old King Temple, Doga Temple, Caddo Temple <strong>and</strong>
Tashi Duo Temple. There are four doors of rock paintings in grottos, which
tell mysterious folk legends. Buddhist pilgrims come to Lake Namtso to offer
their devout worship, especially during the Year of the Sheep in the Tibetan
Calendar. Tens of thous<strong>and</strong>s of religious people take ritual walks around the
holy lake, <strong>and</strong> the scene is truly spectacular.
In addition, herders living in the scenic area still maintain traditional economic
patterns, social conventions <strong>and</strong> lifestyles. The unique natural environment has
given birth to unsophisticated nomadic folk customs, such as the high-pitched
madrigal <strong>and</strong> the bold horseracing, shaping the brave pastoralist character. In
recent years, with the campaign of building the countryside, pastoral communities
have begun to build permanent housing. However, due to their traditional
nomadic lifestyle, they still live in tents during the grazing seasons of
summer <strong>and</strong> fall. At this time of the year, tourists coming here usually fall into
a picture of touching beauty, with wild flowers blooming everywhere around
Lake Namtso, cattle <strong>and</strong> sheep flocks scattering, tents dotting, smoke curling,
pastoral melodies echoing, flutes bursting, <strong>and</strong> the snow-capped mountains
<strong>and</strong> glaciers lying in the distance, constituting a serenely intoxicating harmony
of man <strong>and</strong> nature.
1.1.2 Geolocational advantages
The Qinghai-Tibet Highway <strong>and</strong> Qinghai-Tibet Railway run through the
Namtso Scenic Area, providing very convenient transportation. The centre
of Namtso is 260 km away from Lhasa City, about 60 km from Damxung
County, <strong>and</strong> 300 km from the Gonggar Airport. According to statistics from
the tourism department, between 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2009 Tibet’s tourism industry
maintained high growth, with about one fifth of domestic <strong>and</strong> foreign tourists
visiting Namtso. The percentage has been increasing annually (See Figure 1).
Behaviour analysis of tourists in Lhasa shows that visitors are increasingly dem<strong>and</strong>ing
better protection of local resources <strong>and</strong> wish to have more knowledge-
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