East Sikkim District

As we sit sipping tea with him, Ugen Lepcha calmly spells out his stand. “Even if it means having to leave my (political) party, I will continue to be against dams,” he says. Ugen Lepcha, the president of Passingang gram panchayat in the Dzongu area of Sikkim, clearly has courage when it comes to his political convictions.

Minket Lepcha always felt close to nature and the environment since her childhood, thanks to her upbringing in the picturesque Darjeeling. Though she had spent many years in Delhi, studying and working in corporate firms, her interest in community development, environment and culture brought her back to her home town. 

There are about 227 lakes and wetlands in Sikkim, many of which are revered by the people as holy.

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) is a research organisation working on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The main focus is on applied science through research, education and action that influence policy and practice on conservation, management of natural resources and sustainable development.

Description: ATREE’s Northeast/Eastern Himalayas Programme has been working in the region for over a decade, focused primarily on action research seeking to reconcile conservation and livelihoods; supporting independent researchers and local organizations; enhancing local conservation action and improving livelihood opportunities; organisation building; capacity building of local organisations; and, improving the management of world biodiversity heritage sites in the region (Kaziranga and Manas) through the World Biodiversity Heritage Programme.

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) is a research institution in the areas of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. We focus on applied science through research, education and action that influence policy and practice on conservation of nature, management of natural resources, and sustainable development.

Description:
We are beginning a 3-year research project on climate vulnerability and adaptation in urbanizing watersheds. This is an interdisciplinary research project involving natural and social scientists from ATREE and The Pacific Institute, USA, focusing on two watersheds: the Arkavathy sub-basin near Bangalore, and the Rangit sub-basin near Darjeeling. The objective is to understand the impact of climate change on the quality and quantity of water accessible to different sections of the society, particularly weaker sections, and the household and wider institutional/governance factors that shape vulnerability, short-term coping mechanisms and possible adaptation strategies.

Organisers: Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS), Central Himalayan Environment Network (CHEA)

Venue: Gangtok, Sikkim

Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation & Forest Management Project (SBFP) works to strengthen biodiversity conservation activities and forest management capacity, and to improve livelihood for the local people who are dependent on forests by promoting sustainable biodiversity conservation, afforestation and income generation activities including eco-tourism for community development, thereby contributing environment conservation and harmonized socio-economic development of Sikkim.