Tibetan herders lead environment effort

However, what herders fear most are mining and construction projects. Tsochi villagers blame gold-digging activities in the past for the deterioration of pastures. They have reported several cases of illegal gold and coal mining to authorities to force the miners to leave and pay fines, Razi Karma said.

"Without such disturbances, fish, shrimp and the grasslands have all flourished in recent years," he added.

The key is giving herders the right to intervene and protect their land, so that they are authorized to say "no" to people coming for illegal hunting, mining or construction, he said.

Having no access to caterpillar fungus, a major source of cash income for many Tibetan families, Tsochi villagers rely on livestock products, such as meat and wool, to make a living. The annual income per person is 1,500 yuan, Razi Karma said.

Their income is under threat because of climate change and damage caused by wildlife, he said.

More drastic weather conditions have been observed in the past. Sometimes the rivers have dried up. Villagers have to adapt to income fluctuations caused by severe winters or extremely hot summers. Brown bears and wild wolves go to herders' summer tents and destroy their belongings. They also attack and eat goats, cows and horses.

Although Razi Karma keeps track of the losses, there is no solution.

In the Tibet autonomous region, herders receive compensation from the government for damage caused by wild animals.

Early this year, the State Forestry Administration said 1,454 herding households in Damxung county, Lhasa, received a total of 2 million yuan in compensation for such damage, while 8.15 million yuan in compensation was allocated to Shannan prefecture.

Dawa Tsering at the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences said protection of ecologically fragile areas in the autonomous region include a ban on mining and major construction projects, pollution reduction and a limit on tourist visits.