TMI’s programs in Asia started in the mid-1980’s with the “Heart of the Himalaya” initiative for the establishment of two new mountain protected areas: the Makalu-Barun National Park in Nepal, and the Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) Nature Preserve in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, (Tibet). Both were founded on the principles of participatory design and management, and collaboration between park managers and local communities. These pioneering projects were some of the earliest demonstrations of community-based project design that has since become the basis for most of TMI’s programs.
The methods ultimately evolved into TMI’s own planning system known as “Appreciative Participatory Planning and Action” (APPA), a successful planning tool that focuses on community assets and opportunities. In 1996, the program expanded to include a number of ecotourism initiatives: the Sikkim Biodiversity and Ecotourism Project (India), the Langtang Ecotourism Project (Nepal), and the Community- Based Tourism Training Program to strengthen the linkage between mountain tourism and local livelihoods. A number of other initiatives supported transboundary conservation along the international border between Nepal, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and India. Additional projects included the People-Wildlife Conflict Project (Nepal) and the Nepal Biodiversity Trust Fund.
In 2003, the Mountain Cultural Landscapes Project was launched in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan that documents and strengthens the linkages between conservation and sacred sites. Other multi-year projects work to conserve the transboundary regions of the Eastern Himalaya of Nepal and Sikkim, promoting improved alpine and forest management by encouraging the sustainable cultivation of high value medicinal and aromatic plants. Starting in 2008, the Asia program started using food for work approaches to create sustainable mountain enterprises in drought stricken West Nepal, and enhance community resilience to climate related food deficits. TMI’s Asia program is an international leader in strengthening community skills, implementation of projects in conflict-affected areas, and cooperation and collaboration in transboundary protected areas.
• Food For Enterprise in Drought Stricken West Nepal: Using emergency food assistance to create the foundations for sustainable mountain enterprises in the Karnali region of West Nepal.
• The Eastern Himalaya Corridor Conservation Project: Promoting the conservation of biodiversity rich forests and alpine areas through the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants along the Nepal- Sikkim, India Border.
• Biodiversity, Markets and Enterprises in the Kanchenjunga Region of Nepal: Helping
strengthen markets and value chains for mountain farmers in East Nepal.
• Beyuls: Sacred Hidden Valleys of the Himalaya: Providing sustainable management of ecosystems and motivation for sustainable community development in the sacred valleys (beyuls).
• Promoting Local Conservation and Livelihoods Initiatives in Sikkim, India: Establishing and strengthening ecotourism programs in N and NE Sikkim.
• Monitoring Snow Leopards and Their Prey in Sikkim: Developing a monitoring system for local people to track changes in snow leopard and mountain sheep populations.
• Establishing TMI India: Providing technical, administrative and fund-raising assistance to establish TMI India as a newly founded National sister organization to TMI.
• Sagarmatha (Everest) Training Center: Establishing a multi-purpose training centre in the Thame Valley of Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. This Centre will provide much-needed vocational training to poor and disadvantaged groups in the less visited areas of the Park.
• Alpine Conservation Partnership (ACP): Community based conservation and restoration of alpine ecosystems.
• Mountain Cultural Landscapes: Working with local communities and partners to help revive cultural and religious values placed on sacred sites in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
• Transboundary Cooperation in Khangchendzonga: Conserving the biodiversity of the Khangchendzonga landscape and improving local livelihoods
