Excerpt from

4 October 2002

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Sagarmatha National Park — a success story
Renu Kshetry
Solukhumbu, October 3,
The locals of Solukhumbu say that the Sagarmatha National Park has contributed a lot in maintaining the natural beauty of the area.
The main organisation committee of the Silver Jubilee of Sagarmatha National Park feels that it will help create awareness. The two-day event began with much enthusiasm today.
The Sagarmatha National Park, gazetted in July 1976, covers an area of 1,148 sq km of the Himalayan ecological zone.
UNESCO listed the park as a natural world heritage site in 1979 in recognition of its unique natural landscape characteristics. Of the 14 peaks covering 8,000 metres, four peaks are within the park.
“There has been a drastic change in the living standards of local people because of the park,” said Ang Phurba Sherpa, a local artist.
As 99 per cent of the residents are Buddhists, hunting and poaching are almost nil in the area.
The endangered species found in the park include musk deer, Himalayan black bear, wolf and goral. Besides that 199 species of birds have been found in the park and about 36 species hold internationally significant breeding population.
The Park contains three per cent forest, 28 per cent grassland and 69 per cent barren land.
“The park has provided us security and made us self-sufficient in agro products,” said Nawang Doka, a dentist.
Park ranger Keshav Acharya says, “The thick forest and increasing number of wildlife are the examples of a success story of the Sagarmatha National Park,” said Acharya.
The park comprises 11 endemic plant species. The dominant vegetation at the lower elevation of the park below 3,000 m is composed mostly of the blue pine and hemlock forest.
Biodiversity and conservation is the main theme of this year.
Buffer Zone area was declared in January 1, 2002 to mark the International Year of Mountains. Unlike other national parks, locals have supported the park as declaration of buffer zone will plough up to 50 per cent of the park revenue to be used for community development. The buffer zone has been extended south of the park covering parts of Chaurikharka VDC and all settlements within the park benefiting about 6,000 local people.
On the first day of the event, 25 plants were planted along with 25 burning candles, cleaning up campaign and painting competition among school students.
People contributing for the uplift of the society will be felicitated on the second day. World famous mountaineer Appa Sherpa and social worker Ang Rita Sherpa will also be felicitated on the occasion.
“Only ten years ago we could see, 2 kms of barren land,” said Ang Dorje Sherpa, member of the Namche Youth Group, adding, "Had it not been for the park, the Khumbu region by now would have been a desert.”
The Namche Youth Club, along with Sagarmatha Pollution Control Commitee (SPCC) and the Sagarmatha National Park, have been helping in cleaning the area.
Every year, locals thoroughly clean the area between Lukla and the Everest Base Camp.