CHICAGO – The Field Museum, Government of Bhutan and World Wildlife Fund are combining forces to save one of the most pristine and biologically important places on Earth.
The Bhutanese Minister of Agriculture will sign an agreement between the three parties at The Field Museum at 10:30 on Jan. 22. The agreement calls for joint scientific studies of Bhutan’s wildlife, training programs for Bhutanese conservationists, and development of the country’s biodiversity museum and research center.
“This new collaboration will add further value to our conservation efforts,” says Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji, Bhutan’s Minister of Agriculture. “We also consider this a wider acknowledgement of Bhutan’s commitment to conserve its rich biodiversity and well-preserved environment.”
In Bhutan, which is nestled in the Himalayan Mountains between China and India, a powerful Buddhist conservation ethic has left about 72% of the natural forest intact. Meanwhile, the government protects about one-third of the land, an incredibly high percentage. Today, however, the challenge is to preserve Bhutan as an environmental jewel.
Training; mammal and bird inventory; museum The first role of The Field Museum will be to develop a training program for Bhutanese biodiversity specialists. “WWF has already played an important role in building the capacity of Bhutanese nationals on biodiversity conservation,” says Sangay Wangchuck, director of Bhutan’s Nature Conservation Division. “With this new arrangement, benefits are likely to increase manifold to help the Royal government manage the country’s rich biological resources.”
In addition, the museum will collaborate with the Bhutanese on the first comprehensive inventory of the country’s birds and mammals.
“We will investigate the evolutionary and biogeographical history of the birds and mammals,” says John Bates, assistant curator of birds at The Field Museum. “The small mammals of Bhutan are very poorly known. Bird distributions are better understood, but several different biological realms converge in Bhutan, so there is still a great deal to learn. Because Bhutan retains so much native habitat, this project will be able to infuse conservation decisions with science before pressure from humans creates a crisis situation.”
Finally, The Field Museum will collaborate with the Bhutanese and WWF on the development of the country’s biodiversity museum as a research and educational center. This will include offering educational programs for the citizens of Bhutan and developing materials for eco-tourists, who provide a large portion of Bhutan’s foreign currency income.
WWF’s primary role will be to facilitate field research and management of the biological corridors linking protected areas in the country. “As the Earth’s natural heritage shrinks, the value of saving rare and pristine environments like the ones in Bhutan rises,” says Mingma Norbu Sherpa, WWF’s Director of Himalayas and South Asia Program.
Active in Bhutan since 1977, WWF has trained over 40 Bhutanese park and resource managers. In 1991, it created the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation.
Spectacular sanctuary
Bhutan lies at the crossroads of three great biological regions: the lowland rainforests of South and Southeast Asia; the rhododendron/conifer forests and alpine meadows of northern Asia and Europe; and the Himalayan Front, home to a unique and diverse assemblage of animal species.
Another thing that makes Bhutan so visually and environmentally stunning is its great range of elevations, from 500 feet to more than 24,000 feet. This has created a wealth of environmental niches to which local plants and animals have adapted in a remarkable number and variety of ways. For example, more than 50 species of rhododendron have evolved. And Bhutan is home to such exotic mammals as takin (a large, musk-ox-like animal), clouded leopards and red pandas. Bird species range from the cutia and boreal owl to the tiny black-throated parrotbill. “We hope our careful documentation of the distribution and habitat needs of birds and mammals will help determine conservation priorities so that a stable balance can be achieved between humans and wild species,” says Lawrence Heaney, associate curator of mammals at The Field Museum.
But Bhutan’s natural wonders are only part of the country’s charm. The government is stable, its people religious, and its architecture outstanding. The mean annual income (about $1,000) of its 2 million residents exceeds that of most of its neighbors. Nevertheless, official government policy gives more weight to Gross National Happiness than to Gross National Product.
Large-scale logging and mining is prohibited, which is indicative of Bhutan’s national reverence for natural ecosystems. “By pulling together the expertise of the Government of Bhutan and the prestigious Field Museum, we have a rare opportunity to save a globally outstanding treasure,” Sherpa says.
Field Museum President John McCarter will preside over the signing ceremony. Interviews with many of the principals from Bhutan, WWF and The Field Museum are possible in person Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 – or by phone before those dates.
Media Contacts:
The Field Museum, Greg Borzo (312) 665-7106
World Wildlife Fund, Kerry Zobor (202) 778-9509; (847) 853-1384