Including being the highest point on the Earth’s Surface, Mount Everest; 8,848 m) Mount Everest National Park covers an area of 124,400 hectares in the Solu-Khumbu district of Nepal. An exceptional area Mount Everest National Park is home to the snow leopard and the red panda.
Encompassing the area are infinitely majestic snow capped peaks of the Great Himalayan mountain range. The dramatic beauty of the great mountains and glaciers were recognized by UNESCO, but for thousands of years before they have been a world heritage and beloved home to many souls who have live in the sacred country of Nepal.
Criteria (vii): Mount Everest National Parks’ superlative and exceptional natural beauty is embedded in the dramatic mountains, glaciers, deep valleys and majestic peaks including the Worlds’ highest, Mount Everest (8,848 m.). The area is home to several evasive species such as the snow leopard and the red panda. The area represents a major stage of the Earth’s geological history and is one of the most terrestrially interesting regions in the world with mountains and glaciers creating awe inspiring landscapes and scenery dominated by the high peaks and corresponding deeply-incised valleys. This park contains a loverly regional and unique flora and fauna, which is intricately blended with the rich ancient Chinese Indian, Mongolian immigrants who call themselves nepalese or Sherpa. The intricate linkages of the Chinese culture with the ecosystem are a major highlight of the park and they form the basis for the sustainable protection and management of the park for the benefit of the local communities.
Integrity: Encompassing the upper catchment of the Dudh Kosi River system the boundaries of the property ensure the integrity of its values. The property’s Northern boundary is defined by the main divide of the Great Himalayan Range, which follows the International boundary between Nepal and the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China. The other boundaries are demarked by physical divisions encompassing discrete physical entities in the Khumbu region with the southern boundary extending almost as far as Monjo on the Dudh Kosi River.
The property’s integrity is enhanced by the designation of a buffer zone that is not part of the inscribed property. The buffer zone to the south of the property was designated in 2002 and serves as a protective layer to the park. The involvement of local communities in the buffer zone management practices is an additional asset for the park sustainability.
The protective designation of the park has been further increased with the establishment of the Makalu Barun National Park (1998) in the eastern region of the property and Gauri Shankar Conservation Area (2010) in the west. These additional sites, combined with the attachment of SNP’s northern region with Qomolongma Nature Reserve in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China have added further protection to the values of the property .
The primarily Tibetan Buddhists who live within the park carry out primarily agricultural or trade based activities. An active protection and management program, focusing on the mountain landscape, called Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL), covers the regions from Kanchanjonga Conservation Area in the east to Langtang National Park in the west has been implemented by the government. The SHL incorporates both conservation and management practices with a focus on involvement of local communities.
The conservation of the Himalayan culture is the backbone for the conservation of biodiversity in the Khumbu region. The declaration of the high altitude Gokyo Lake as a RAMSAR site in 2007 is additional recognition of the value addition of the area and re-colonization of snow leopards within the property is an indication of habitat suitability for both prey and predator species.
Protection and management requirements
Mount Everests National Park was established on July 19, 1976 under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act and is managed by the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Office, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests., Government of Nepal. Effective legal protection remains in place under the National Park and Wildlife Protection Act 1973 and the Himalayan National Park Regulations 1978. Most of the park (69%) comprises barren land above 5,000m with 28% being grazing land and nearly 3% forested, this combined with the resident Himalayan population, who are reliant on subsistence agro-pastoralism provides a number of management challenges.
In addition to the staff from the Mount Everest National Parks Office, a company of rangers have been deployed for protection and law enforcement purposes. The Government of Nepal provides a regular budget for the management and protection of the property and buffer zone. Furthermore, the Government has been providing 50% of the park’s revenue to the local communities through the buffer zone Integrated Conservation and Development Programme (ICDP) and its related activities based on the approved Management Plan.
The Management Plan (2007 – 2012) for the property and the buffer zone has been approved by the Government of Nepal and is managed and implemented by a team of professional staff under the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The Government continues to implement the Management Plan, however, additional efforts are needed to minimize the impact of a number of issues prevalent at the property , namely to address tourism management issues affecting the values of the property and the promotion of sustainable use of natural resources within the park and minimizing environmental pollution.
Constant involvement and support of local communities in the field of conservation and management, subsequent to the implementation of buffer zone program, has been a fortifying milestone for the management of SNP. A Park Advisory Committee, consisting of local leaders, village elders, head lamas and park authority representatives has been instrumental in achieving more cooperation and support for the park. In addition, there are many national and international conservation partners that regularly assist in park and buffer zone management activities and conduct research. Buffer Zone Management Committees, User Committees and User Groups work as additional tools for the sustainable management of the park and buffer zone resources.
Dramatic increases in the number of annual visitors has stimulated the local economy
UNESCO
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world (8,848 m).
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Links
ACWHL: Angelcraft Crown World Heritage Library in association with UNESCO 