Biodiversity Conservation Network

4. Ecotourism in the Mountains of Sikkim

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Location:	West Sikkim, India
Partners:	The Mountain Institute (TMI) G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED) Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) The Green Circle
Project Title:	Sikkim Biodiversity and Ecotourism
BCN Funding:	$449,465
Partner Contribution:	$291,498
Grant Period:	September 1, 1995 - August 31, 1998

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Project Overview

The Himalayan state of Sikkim contains the world's third highest mountain peak (Khangchendzonga: 8,545 m), revered as the protective deity of Sikkim and renowned for its rhododendrons and other flowering species. Sikkim, which was only recently opened to tourism, is one of the two most biodiverse areas in India. Threats to Sikkim's biodiversity include agricultural land conversion, road construction, over collection of NTFPs, and fuel wood collection. A hydroelectric project is also underway.

To counter these threats and build on the opportunity to provide benefits to local communities, the project team is working with a local association of trekking businesses (TAAS) to strengthen community-based ecotourism opportunities at three sites around Khangchendzonga National Park. These sites include the Yuksom-Dzongri Trekking Trail and the settlements of Lethang and Cho-jo around Kecheopalri Lake. This project is particularly timely as the state government is eager to promote tourism through the development of policies that minimize the problems that neighboring states have experienced as a result of the rapid development of the tourism sector.

1996 Accomplishments

In its first year of implementation, the project has established itself as a significant presence in Sikkim. The project is increasingly recognized and sought as a key contributor to sustainable tourism development efforts in the state, both in terms of field activities and policy development.

The project has assisted stakeholders in developing and endorsing a Code of Conduct for Ecotourism which will also serve as a marketing tool. It has also given enterprise and conservation training to over 200 people in seven professions associated with naturebased tourism, assisted stakeholders in carrying out several locally-identified conservation activities linked to nature-based tourism, and influenced several policy decisions in public-sector tourism development. Throughout, the emphasis has been to develop local capacity to design and manage project activities.

Success Stories

In the project, training of key stakeholders in mountain-based tourism is seen as a critical activity in linking biodiversity conservation and income-generation from tourism. In March, project staff and volunteers from TAAS and the Sikkim Mountaineering Institute held a two-day training course for trek porters and pack animal operators in Yuksam, the start of the major trek. Over 80 local people attended the session.

In June, project staff were called for a meeting with the Government of Sikkim (GoS) Department of Tourism to discuss a letter received from visitors to the state. While trekking in the Yuksam-Dzongri area, a group of Indian tourists had asked a porter to cut wood for a campfire, but the porter refused. When asked why, the porter replied that it was not in his interest nor in the interests of long-term conservation of the area to cut vegetation and that a recent training course, run by a tourism project, in which he had participated had stressed this point. In response the trekkers wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Sikkim suggesting that if people wanted an example of responsible trekking, Sikkim was the place to visit.

Within Sikkim, the incident generated considerable interest in GoS circles where we have often discussed the importance of training in a strategy for sustainable tourism development in the state. The GoS's immediate response was to offer financial support and personnel for a trek cooks' training in July, which was taken up by the project.

Challenges

In a state where central and state governments have traditionally been the source of development and conservation support, complementary efforts based in the private sector are new and very different ways of conducting business. The challenge during the first year was to bring public and private sector stakeholders together in a way that would foster constructive dialogue and lead to results. At the same time it was important to empower stakeholders, especially local communities at the project sites, to take action themselves instead of depending entirely on government. Through the use of a workshop with small discussion groups, we facilitated dialogue between private and public sectors, and assisted stakeholders in producing a Code of Conduct for Ecotourism. The forum and Code enabled TAAS to successfully lobby GoS for extra kerosene supplies to reduce the use of fuelwood on treks.

At the primary project site, Yuksam, participatory appraisal and planning focusing on ecotourism catalyzed a portion of the population to carry out conservation activities, such as clean-ups and tree-planting, connected with site enhancement. Participants in training courses have paid fees to attend, an idea that initially met with resistance, but was gradually accepted as courses gained a reputation for quality and for meeting a need in the tourism sector. The challenge in coming years will be to build upon these efforts, and increase participation in both public and private sectors.

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