Study on subsistence activities of Mountain people in Chandanbari of Langtang National Park

Abstract

The study area, Chandan Bari in Rasuwa District of Nepal is a Sub-alpine region (3550 m) of the Lantang National Park of Syafru Village Development Committee. The area was inhibited by four hotels of Bharku people and one cheese factory. Five livestock herds (ghot) inhibited the study area as they practice transhumance grazing system of which milk was collected by the cheese factory by moving around up to 20 km. The subsistent need of local people was fulfilled directly or indirectly by the tourism based activities. The forest type of study area was mixed conifer forest with Abies spectabilis, Rhododendron barbatum and Acer caudatum. The average annual demand of fuel wood for 9 HH’s was found to be13340 kg/year, 195811 kg/year for 4 hotels and 8347 kg/year for 5 herders respectively. The fuelwood demand and sustainable yield of Chandan Bari forest was estimated to be 45.31 ton/year and 214.83 ton/year, which showed sufficiency of fuelwood. The density of cut stems and burned stems was found to be 165 ind./ha and 124 ind./ha on northern and southern slope respectively. As well as the invasion of poisonous plant species and successional plant in the grazing area indicated heavy grazing which showed that the human disturbance was very high. Of the total surveyed household population (56) 55.36% of them were economically active group of which 44.44% of respondent were engaged on tourism sector and 55.56% were engaged in animal husbandry. As all the physical facilities were created for tourist (hotel and lodges situated in the area), they charge only for food to the foreigners whereas for both lodging and fooding were charged to National tourists. This was discrimination among the tourists. Though the forest was found in degraded state, the soil of the forested area as well as of agricultural land of Chandan Bari was still in virgin condition. The physical and chemical parameters of drinking water of the study area was found to be below the WHO, USPH, ISI, DSWW guideline value and is sound for drinking as well as for domestic purposes. Key word: Forest, Fuelwood, Tourism and drinking water condition.