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

“nine arms” ( the Tashi Duo Peninsula, Tuoren Loebri Peninsula, Doga Temple,
Old King Temple, Niamey Wetl<strong>and</strong>s, Ari Wetl<strong>and</strong>s, Nagenla Mountain Pass,
Sang Dan Kong Sang <strong>and</strong> Yangbajain) (China Academy of Urban Planning <strong>and</strong>
Design 2008). In the scenic area, only resources on the Tashi Duo Peninsula are
being developed, that comprise less than a quarter of the scenic area.
Tourists visiting this spot have been increasing every year (with the exception
of 2008), as shown in Figure 2. It has attracted 200,000 domestic <strong>and</strong> foreign
tourist visits annually. In the first four months of 2010, there were already
10,906 domestic <strong>and</strong> international visits recorded. Revenues from tourism
related industries reached 2.2 million Yuan. According to the “Master Plan
for Tourism Development in Lhasa (2010–2020)”, passed in June 2010, the
Lhasa Municipal Government will prioritize the development of projects such
as the Tashi Isl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Sacred Lake Cultural Experience <strong>and</strong> the International
Hikers Headquarters. Efforts will be made to establish Namtso as a world
famous natural <strong>and</strong> cultural heritage site, an ecotourism demonstration project,
a National 5-A Scenic Area <strong>and</strong> a top international holiday resort for domestic
<strong>and</strong> foreign tourists. While giving importance to the concept of environmental
protection, we will effectively exp<strong>and</strong> the recreational value of the Namtso
Scenic Area.
1.3 Good ecological environment
Namtso has untouched nature, <strong>and</strong> unique hydrology, lake altitude, biological
communities <strong>and</strong> other rare features. It has been established as a nature reserve
by the TAR government during the tenth- five-year-plan period due to the vulnerability
of its ecological balance, the diversity of its species, the representation
of the Tibetan Plateau <strong>and</strong> the coexistence of natural <strong>and</strong> cultural heritages. The
status means that it gets substantial support for development <strong>and</strong> conservation
from the government of TAR. It has been identified in the “Tibet Autonomous
Region Ecological Environment Construction Plan” <strong>and</strong> the “Tibet Autonomous
Region Development Plan for Nature Reserve”. At the same time, the relevant
departments, in line with the principle of “integrating the process of development
<strong>and</strong> protection”, have compiled the 2000 edition of the “Master Plan for
Developing Eco-Tourism in Namtso Scenic Area, Tibet” <strong>and</strong> the 2006 edition
of the “Controlled Execution Plan for Development of Namtso Scenic Area,
Lhasa”. We have considered the relationship between environment protection
<strong>and</strong> development <strong>and</strong> embraced the concept of sustainable development. The
Environmental Protection Agency of TAR has set up an environmental monitoring
station to check the quality of air, water <strong>and</strong> soil of Namtso regularly. In
the 1990s, various road construction projects around the Namtso Lake made
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