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With over 40% of its land area under conservation status, the Tibet Automous Region of China is becoming a world leader in nature conservation. Tibet's leadership goes beyond the large percentage they have protected to their thoughtful and effective management approach. Tibet is protecting its natural resources and thoughtfully balancing the uses of its environment to improve the overall quality of life for the people.

Modern conservation began in Tibet in 1985 with the establishment of six small reserves scattered across the region. Since then another ten small preserves have been added, as well as three megareserves: the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve (QNNP), the Changtang National Nature Preserve (CNNP), and the Four Great Rivers Ecological Environment Protection Plan (Four Great Rivers), the last encompassing all of southeastern Tibet. A number of the initial smaller sanctuaries, such as three along the Tibet-Nepal border and four within Four Great Rivers, have now been folded into the megapreserves, where they become "core areas."

Each of the three megareserves has a very different conservation focus and implementation plan. The very successful QNNP is now over a decade old and features multiple programs that strive to protect the environment while improving the quality of life for local people. The Changtang Preserve, a vast and physically difficult area, has, during the past five years, shown how dramatically wildlife can recover through the reduction of poaching. And in southeastern Tibet, the Four Great Rivers Ecological Environment Protection Plan has recently been approved by the government in Lhasa and offers a promising approach to creating a macrowatershed protection framework in an area of stunning beauty and biodiversity.

To remain a leader in innovative conservation, Tibet must continue to adapt and expand its conservation efforts. This will require remarkable flexibility in planning for programs ranging from the edge of the tropics to altitudes well above 6,000 meters. Site-specific adaptations are essential, but so too is a comprehensive conservation strategy, a framework that combines the growing number of conservation-development methods found to actually work in Tibet with a vision of what may be appropriate for the future.

Training is one area that warrants special attention. Trained field workers—scientists, administrators, community development experts, communicators, economists, and others—are essential to a successful conservation program.

Future Generation is now working with Tibetan colleagues to establish an All-Tibet Conservation Training Center in Lhasa that will provide the needed hands-on training to address needs of conservation and sustainable human development. Varying levels of trained personnel will be prepared.

Please re-visit this page for more updated news on the All-Tibet Conservation Training Center.