The Namche Conference: May 24-26, 2003 People, Park, and Mountain Ecotourism Participants and Presentations: Ram Kumar Panday

Prof. Ram Kumar Panday Professor and Head, Department of Geography Education, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Email: rkpanday@col.com.np AbstractHarnessing Heights by the Use of Up and Downhill Relief Resources to Strengthen Sustainability for the Ecological and Economic Needs of Poverty Pressed Nepal: An Altitude Geographic Approach for the Development In this earth relief features possesses different potentialities. The alti-spatial environment has provided store house of different resources. In Nepal. The mountain height has dominated in creating ecological and economic diversities and disparities. The population growth pressed all the nature system. And poverty exploded as terrorism in the remote inner hills of Nepal. There are enumerable studies on mountain environment. The time has came to consolidate research findings for the development of the mountain region. The fire of the Himalaya can not be solved from the gun firing. Corruption and lack of good governance adding more complexities in the peace and prosperity of the people. Security of human life in one hand and corruption control of the development budget on the other are equally important to eradicate the worsening condition of the Himalaya region. The development activists need to analyze the reality and revitalize the village ecology and economy. The holistic approach of altitude geography, obviously, helps to explore and exploit alti-potential resources. A careful planning of native nature is essential to improve the condition of property and poverty of the Himalayan heritage. Key words: altitude geography, alti-spatial, altipotentialities, relief resources. Message Thank you for invitation to join the Namche conference. Congratulation to organizing committee for the arrangement of such Conference. It is my great pleasure to participate in such program of mountain ecology. Curriculum Vitae Born: 1946. Ed.: M.A. (Geog. 1970), M.Ed. (social St. 1973). Medal: Silver Jubilee Medal conferred by the King of Nepal. Travel: Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Japan, Sweden, Australia, Malaysia. Affiliation : President: The Center for Nepalese Geography, 1991. Vice-President: Nepal Geographical Society, 1986. Fellow: The Japan Foundation, 1999. Participation: Local, National, Regional, and International workshop, seminar, symposium and conferences. Experiences: Convener in National Level Committee, Deputation as a Special Officer in Royal Palace, Ministries of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal, UNDP/National Planning Commission (Research Associate in Decentralized Planning), ICIMOD (As a supervisor in a study team ), IUCN (environment curriculum) etc. Propagation: Altitude Geography (in 1980s) as a new sub- branch of integrated geography of mountain environment and development. Definition: Altitude Geography is the study of geographic variations caused by altitude effects on the surface of the earth. The alti-spatial differences in geographical features and phenomena of man and land is the field of Altitude Geography. Editor: The Geographer’s Point ( A Journal of Geography) The Third Pole (Geographical Journal ) Publications (related to Mountain and Development): Spatial Distribution of Settlements in the Mountains of Nepal. 1980. Advanced Physical Geography of Nepal. 1984 (Nepali) Altitude Geography: Effects of Altitude Geography of Nepal. 1987. A Case of Altitude in Geography, 19889. Development Disorders in the Himalayan Heights: Challenges and Strategies for Environment and development. 1995. Mountain Dimensions. 1999.

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