Research in South Asia


Recent activities in Nepal

Hokkaido University and Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu have upgraded their MoU (Memory of Understanding) regarding the exchange of research and educational activities on 25 October 2010.


16 September 2011
Joint Symposium between Hokkaido University and Tribhuvan University

Venue: Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur
Organizers: Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University


5 November 2011
Global Land Project (GLP) Sapporo Open Workshop: Vulnerability, Resilience and Sustainability of Asian Land System

Venue: Hokkaido University Centennial Hall
Organizers: GLP Sapporo Nodal Office
Co-host: Trubhuvan University; International Network and Training Office of IFES-GCOE
http://www.sustain.hokudai.ac.jp/sw/jp/events/2011/glp


6 November 2011
Public Forum, ‘Glacier Changes and Disasters; Himalayan Perspectives on Global Warming’

Venue: Hokkaido University Conference Hall
Organizers: Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University
Co-host: Tribhuvan University; GLP Sapporo Nodal Office; International Network and Training Office of IFES-GCOE
http://www.sustain.hokudai.ac.jp/sw/jp/events/2011/Himalaya


7 November 2011
Global Land Project (GLP) Closed Workshop: Vulnerability, Resilience, and Sustainability of Land System in Asia

Venue: Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Organizers: GLP Sapporo Nodal Office
http://www.sustain.hokudai.ac.jp/sw/jp/events/2011/glp


Upcoming symposiums and workshops

7 – 9 October 2012
Changing Mountain Environments in Asia

Major focuses:
1) Vulnerability, resilience and sustainability of land system in Asian mountains: this symposium aims to improve our understanding of the critical pathways of change in the land system, how vulnerability and resilience of the land system vary in response to changes in human-environment interactions, and how different institutions influence decision-making and governance for land system sustainability. The agenda includes land use/land cover change, dynamics of land system, consequences of land system changes, and integrated analysis and modeling for land sustainability.
2) Changing mountain environments in Asia: this symposium discusses the state-of the-art knowledge and progress of research after the International Year of Mountains (IYM) on mountain hazards from the Middle Mountain landslide to high alpine GLOF, climate change and adaptation, tourism and livelihood, biodiversity, and nature conservation in Asian mountains.
Tribhuvan University and Hokkaido University organized a symposium on mountain environments focusing on the Himalaya in 2000. This symposium is a continuous effort to understand the changes of mountain environments, broadening the coverage to Asian mountains even at global scale. The focus of the area is Asian mountains, but this symposium does not limit the areal coverage in Asia: perspectives of the local, regional and global scales can be discussed if they are related to Asian mountains. This symposium contributes to the IYM + 10 and synthesizing phase of GLP issues.
Venue: Hotel Himalaya, Kupondole Height, Lalitpur, Kathmandu (www.himalayahotel.com.np)


10 – 11 October 2012
Field excursion: From the Kathmandu basin to Chitwan National Park

Organizers: Hokkaido University; Tribhuvan University; Global Land Project (GLP) Sapporo Nodal Office, Hokkaido University
Details will be announced soon.

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in the Nepal Himalaya

Since 1988, we have conducted geomorphological stuides on the Imja Glacier Lake (Imja Tsho) in Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park. We also started studies on the glacial lakes in the Hinku and Hongu valleys, Makalu Barun National Park in 2009.

Related Master's and Ph.D. theses:
Lamsal, D. (2011): Studies on glacial lake development in the eastern Nepal Himalaya from 1964 to 2010. PhD thesis submitted to Hokkaido University.
Lamsal, D. (2008): A Study of Topographical Changes of the Imja Glacier Lake, Khumbu Himal, Nepal: Prospects for a GLOF Occurrence. Master's thesis submitted to Hokkaido University.

Landuse/land cover change, deforestation in Nepal

We have worked on the diverse forest cover change issues and land surface dynamics in the mountains of Nepal with Nepali experts.

Related Master's and Ph.D. theses:
Devkota, S. (2007):Land-use/cover Patterns and Their Changes in the Terai and Hills of Nepal. Master's thesis.
Gautam, C.M. (2005): Anthropogenic Disturbance, Floristic Composition and Diversity in the Hill Forests, Bharse Area, Gulmi District of Nepal. Ph.D. thesis.
Gautam, C.M. (2002): Evaluating methodology of the land use/cover change study and causes of land use/cover change in the Kanchanjunga Conservation Area, eastern Nepal. Master's thesis.
Manandar, A. (1998): Forest resources and fuelwood consumption in Palung VDC, central Nepal. Master's thesis.

Karakorum: Sustainable resource use and geoecotourism development in Khunjerab National Park, northern Pakistan

Field survey is suspended because of uncertain political situations.

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