I would suggest you consult ICIMOD located in Kathmadndu Nepal. There are a series of working papers and other documents. Also, the person to contact is Dr Golam Rasul.

In general, the model would be local development, based on traditional knowledge and enhanced with infrastructure, funds and experts. But I don't know the case of the Himalayas...

Through my work in Portland, Oregon, I have found that adaptive co-management can offer an effective yet flexible model for multiparty stakeholders across a variety of jurisdictions (local, state, central/federal governemnts, CBOs, etc) to collaboratively come up with creative environmental policies and solutions. This process involves bringing in the community throughout the process beginning at problem identification, design, implementation, assessment and all the way through to maintenance even. Of course this is can be a very time-consuming effort, but I still think that a grassroots approach will be more effective than a top-down/ imposed strategy.

I suggest reading this my last paper on "Multiple Carrying Capacities from a management-oriented perspective to operationalize sustainable tourism in protected areas". The case study is on the Mt Everest slopes. Journal of Environmental Management 2013 (128):116-125

Unplanned settlement, increased population, lack of awareness, soil condition, geography of the country, deforestation are some of the reasons for disaster. Nepal also experiencing earthquake, landslides, flood causing loss of life and property. I think that policies must be developed to limit the impact of such disaster although the control of disaster is not in our hand. How is it managed, plans and programs, awareness to the communities, training, building construction rules particularly nearby the river are important aspects to be considered. Protecting environment is very important. Plantation of trees in the slopes are necessary. And during such disaster all organs of the government must work together.

Hi. You may want to read something on the concepts of wicked problems applied to natural resources management, and on landscape approaches. Three papers I would suggest:

Batie, S. S. 2008. Wicked Problems and Applied Economics. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 90:1176-1191.

Balint, P., R. Stewart, A. Desai, and L. Walters. 2011. The Challenge of Wicked Problems. Pages 1-6. Wicked Environmental Problems. Island Press/Center for Resource Economics.

Sayer, J., T. Sunderland, J. Ghazoul, J.-L. Pfund, D. Sheil, E. Meijaard, M. Venter, A. K. Boedhihartono, M. Day, C. Garcia, C. van Oosten, and L. E. Buck. 2013. Ten principles for a landscape approach to reconciling agriculture, conservation, and other competing land uses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110:8349-8356.

If you find this interesting, we can discuss at large.

Cheers

I thank all the respondents for raising important issues on the topic. I welcome Ridhi Dcruz and Binod Atreya for highlighting importance of adaptive co-management and afforestation, especially plantation of trees in the slopes. The case study on the Mt Everest slopes with respect to sustainable tourism in protected areas seems to be an important study. I request Franco Salerno to please provide a pdf copy of the paper published in Journal of Environmental Management 2013 (128):116-125. I would love to read the papers suggested by Claude Garcia and request him to please provide pdf copies of the same to continue our interactions on the topic.

The Himalayas does not need so called modern development as we are doing in the plain areas; The latest havoc is the result of over burden in an sensative eco jone. The human beings on the name of development constructed one thousand odd illegal buidings near Kedarnath ji. This all was done with out any geological studies of the area. in 1962 the Kedar Dham had only few thached roof huts only. In my openion in such places there should be no construction. in old days people visiting such places was for hours only not for the days. So restrections are needed by the government.

Such places should not be used as commerc ial places because these are spritual shrines now modern people are visiting these places even for honey moon.

Before any construction there should be an areal survey or settalite survey with the help of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology only after their approval the construction can be permitted otherwise not at all.

The traditional cropping pattern has to be adopted for the better QOL of the local people.

The agricultureal practices are decreasing in the hills because of mass migration of the population, as far as ecological point of view is concerned it will create more dangerous situations as it happened in Kedarghati.

As a physician, and an environmental science major, I have always been amazed at the lack of appreciation for pre-industrial societies and their ecosystems. These ecosystems have stabilized birthrates and infant mortality rates. Amount and means of food production often are balanced with available local resources. However, when "humanitarian" interventions (eg modern medical practices) are introduced the resultant explosion in infant survival rates can destroy the community and eco-system. So, all interventions need to be balanced. Cultural changes in contraception, new methods of growing food and changed agricultural practices need to be simultaneously introduced. If the community doesn,t buy the whole package, then well meaning outsiders should think twice before intervening. One example of a good outcome with this is Bhutan. A benevolent King allowed changes but it was supervised and combined with birth control changes in the society.