4. 3
F
rom a global environmental perspective, few
other places in the world are as important as
Tibet is now. Rising concerns about global
warming, climate change, receding glaciers,
desertification, food insecurity and loss of biodiversity
all point to the significance of Tibet in addressing these
global challenges. Tackling these important global is-
sues require greatly increased scientific research in Ti-
betan areas and improved understanding of current
land use practices, especially of agriculture, forestry and
livestock grazing. Critical examination of existing envi-
ronmental conservation and economic development
policies and programs is required. New thinking on
how we view the Tibetan landscape is also needed.
Today, the five-lettered word, "Tibet" is a highly emo-
tive and politically charged term. Believed by many
people to refer to a culturally distinct area of the earth
inhabited by Tibetan-speaking people, the word Tibet
often denotes a nation-state, whose boundaries are un-
clear and not officially recognized as a sovereign coun-
try by the United Nations. To the vast majority of Chi-
nese, the word "Tibet" refers only to the Tibetan
Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of
China, one of China's 22 provinces and five autono-
mous regions.
In this article, I disregard divisive political connotations
and use the term "Tibetan Plateau" to refer to a unique
geographical area of Asia; a landscape not marked by
lines drawn on a map, but defined by topography.
Tackling global environmental challenges in the 21st
Century demands that we start to view the Tibetan Pla-
teau more holistically and try to develop a better un-
derstanding of its unique ecology and the value of its
natural resources.
Why Tibet Matters Now
Daniel J. Miller
text and photos
(Left) The Potala Palace in Lhasa, the residence of the Dalai Lamas since 1649.
5. 4
Encompassing an area of over 2.5 million square kilo-
meters, the Tibetan Plateau is the largest and highest
elevation region on the earth. With an average eleva-
tion of 4,500 meters above sea level, the Tibetan Pla-
teau stretches for almost 3,000 km from west to east
and 1,500 km from south to north. The Plateau is
ringed by high mountains – the Himalaya to the
south, the Karakorum in the west and the Kunlun
across the north. The varied topography, altitudes,
and climate give rise to great diversity in vegetation. In
the eastern and southeastern valleys of the plateau
forests are found, but most of the plateau is domi-
nated by rangeland. Rangelands vary from alpine
meadows in the east to high, cold deserts in the north-
west. Less than one percent of the plateau supports
cultivated agriculture, mostly along the bottom of
river valleys. The grazing lands of the Tibetan Plateau
are one of the world’s great pastoral areas, supporting
over 30 million sheep and goats and 12 million yaks.
Both the forested areas and the rangelands provide
habitat for wildlife, many of which are endangered.
To really grasp the significance of the Tibetan Pla-
teau, in terms of its central location in Asia as a source
of so many rivers, its extensive land area and extreme
topography, a new perspective of the Tibetan land-
scape is required. In my office I have a plastic,
raised-relief map of China in which the Tibetan Pla-
teau and adjoining mountain ranges stand out clearly.
This map visibly depicts the vast area encompassed by
the plateau and the abrupt uplift of the Himalaya ris-
ing from the plains of northern India. Looking at this
map you can easily see why the Tibetan Plateau is
termed the “Roof of the World” and how it domi-
nates the geography of Asia.
Photographs taken by astronauts of the Tibetan Pla-
teau also provide an out-of-the-ordinary observation.
Taken at heights of 200 to 400 km above the earth,
these images provide a fascinating point of view; an
outlook that captures not only the magnificent splen-
dor of the Himalaya and other mountain ranges and
immense expanse of the Tibetan Plateau, but also en-
able you to really envisage the lay of the land from a
landscape perspective. Unhindered by the clutter of
political boundaries one begins to define the land by
watersheds, the natural demarcations of the environ-
ment. These astronaut photographs are a valuable
resource for anyone interested in the geography and
ecology of the Tibetan Plateau and Himalaya.
Astronaut photograph of the Himalaya and Western Tibetan Plateau NASA
6. 5
The Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in global
climate change. With thousands of glaciers scattered
across the Plateau and the Himalaya the region has the
most snow and ice outside of the polar regions. With
global warming the total area of glaciers on the Tibetan
Plateau is expected to shrink by 80 percent by the year
2030. The loss of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau and
Himalaya will dramatically affect major rivers that pro-
vide water for more than one-third of the world’s popu-
lation. Global warming may have profound ecological
and economic impacts over a wide area in Asia. The
effect of glaciers receding will be felt not just in Tibetan
areas, but well beyond the borders of the Tibetan Pla-
teau.
The Tibetan Plateau forms the headwaters environment
where many important rivers have their beginnings.
Here, the Yellow, Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Brah-
maputra, Ganges, Sutlej and Indus Rivers originate and
the water they provide is critical to the survival of mil-
lions of people downstream. As such, simply for the
water that it provides, the Tibetan Plateau demands
greater attention. The recent floods in the Indian states
of Bihar and Assam draw attention to the critical role of
the Tibetan environment in regulating water flow to
downstream areas. How many people realize that the
Kosi River that recently flooded and displaced millions
of people in the northern Indian state of Bihar actually
has its origins on the north side of Mt. Everest? Or that
almost 60 percent of the total length of the 2,906 km-
long Brahmaputra River that floods India and Bangla-
desh every year is located in Tibet?
Astronaut photo of Mt. Everest. North is to the bottom of the image. NASA
Glaciers of the Kunlun Mountains in the northern Tibetan Plateau.
7. 6
Views from space provide a new look at the Tibetan
Plateau. They enable one to see the landscape in its
entirety. Environmental conservation strategies for the
Tibetan Plateau need to encompass a broad scale and
implement programs at the level at which natural sys-
tems operate. This landscape level of attention ensures
persistence of populations and ecological processes
and has to work across political boundaries. Artificial,
man-made politically drawn lines on a map do not stop
a river from flowing downhill nor do they prevent
black-necked cranes from migrating or Tibetan argali
and wild ass from crossing international borders in
search of forage to graze on.
The American poet, Gary Snyder, got it right when he
wrote, “Now, with insights from the ecological sci-
ences, we know that we must think on a scale of a
whole watershed, a natural system. A habitat. To save
the life of a single parrot or monkey is truly admirable.
But unless the forest is saved, they will all die.” Saving
the Tibetan Plateau requires a new way of thinking; an
approach that recognizes watersheds instead of politi-
cal frontiers to define plans of action for conservation
and development. It also requires acceptance of the
complex nature of the landscape, not only in the ways
that physical forces shape it, but also in ways that
socio-economic, and institutional forces interact and
impact the nomads and farmers who use the range-
lands.
Grasses such as purple feathergrass
(Stipa purpurea) on the right, and Ti-
betan bluegrass (Poa poipophagrum) on
the left are dominant plants across much
of the Tibetan Plateau. They provide
valuable grazing for wildlife and live-
stock.
Rangelands in the Wild Yak Valley in the Kunlun Mountains on the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
8. 7
The rangelands of the Tibetan Plateau are some of the
world’s greatest grazing land ecosystems. Most of the
rangeland is above 4,000 meters; some nomads main-
tain camps at elevations as high as 5,000 meters.
Snowstorms are common even in the summer. Across
most of the region, it is too cold and arid to support
cultivated agriculture. Growing seasons are short and
cold. As such, the Tibetan pastoral area is one of the
world’s most extreme environments.
Unlike the vast steppes of Eurasia, rugged mountain
ranges, deep river valleys and large lake basins dissect
the Tibetan Plateau; this results in a great diversity of
topography, climate and vegetation, even in a small
geographic area. The rangelands are diverse in struc-
ture and composition, varying from the northwest cold
deserts to semi-arid steppes and from shrublands to
lush alpine meadows of mountain slopes and valleys.
They therefore display an assortment of plant commu-
nities and wildlife species.
Like the rangelands of North America, the grazing
lands of the Tibetan Plateau evolved with grazing ani-
mals. Over thousands of years, wildlife such as Ti-
betan antelope, wild yak, Tibetan wild ass, Tibetan ga-
zelle, blue sheep, argali and different species of deer
grazed the rangeland. Small mammals like pikas, voles
and marmots exerted an influence on the vegetation
and helped created a unique interaction between plants
and animals. Predators that preyed on these animals
such as bears, wolves, snow leopards, foxes and eagles
were an important part of the ecology of the landscape.
Each rangeland type has its own unique assemblage of
plants. Vegetation variations define the movements
and foraging behavior of both wildlife and livestock.
Although often limited in species richness and produc-
tivity, the plants are high in protein content, providing
nutritious forage for animals. The topography of the
landscape, location of water and even wind patterns
also dictate habitats for wildlife and favored grazing for
nomads’ herds.
Despite their extent and importance, rangeland ecosys-
tem dynamics are still poorly understood. Many ques-
tions concerning how the ecosystem functions and the
effect of grazing animals on the ecosystem remain un-
answered for the most part.
Rangelands, yaks and snow peaks near Nakchu.
9. 8
A number of biodiversity “hotspots” are located on the
Tibetan Plateau. With their highly distinctive species,
ecological processes, and evolutionary phenomena,
these areas are some of the most important areas on
earth for conserving biodiversity. The Tibetan Plateau
is one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes on
earth. It also includes the most intact example of
mountain rangelands in Asia with a relatively intact ver-
tebrate fauna, and is one of the largest remaining ter-
restrial wilderness regions left in the world. The area is
home to numerous rare and endangered wildlife spe-
cies such as the wild yak, Tibetan wild ass, tor kiang, he
migratory Tibetan antelope, or chiru, Tibetan argali and
snow leopard. Conserving these animals and their
habitat is an important priority for the global conserva-
tion community.
George Schaller, the renown field biologist who has
spent decades working to conserve the wildlife of the
Tibetan Plateau and adjoining Himalayan regions,
when writing of the vast rangelands of the northern
Tibetan landscape noted, “The beauty of these steppes
and peaks will persist, but without wildlife they will be
empty and the Tibetans will have lost part of their
natural and cultural heritage. To bequeath the Chang
Tang far into the next millennium will require a never-
ending moral vigilance, a passion to understand the
ecology, and a deep commitment to a harmonious co-
existence between the nomads with their livestock and
the wildlife. Without such dedication there will ulti-
mately be a desert where only howling winds break a
deadly silence.” Schaller’s exhortation for heightened
devotion to conserving the Tibetan ecosystem should
be taken as a wake-up call for everyone interested in
Tibet.
Blue sheep are widespread on the plateau. Restricted
to rugged mountain slopes, healthy blue sheep popula-
tions are an indicator that snow leopards may be pre-
sent as they are the primary prey for leopards.
The Tibetan antelope, perhaps more than any other
animal, embodies the expanse of the Chang Tang eco-
system. The chiru is a migratory animal and needs a
vast landscape in which to roam between winter and
summer ranges. They cover distances of up to 400
kilometers, across the steppes and over mountains on
their seasonal migrations. In 1994, I attempted to fol-
low the chiru’s migration across the chang tang (the Ti-
betan word for the extensive steppes of the northern
Tibetan Plateau), to their birthing grounds on the
northern edge of the plateau. Observing herds of hun-
dreds of female chiru, with their female young of the
previous year, traveling on ancient paths as they have
for thousands of years is to bear witness to one of the
earth’s outstanding ecological spectacles. Understand-
ing chiru migratory movements could provide valuable
insight into the structure and function of the Tibetan
Plateau ecosystem and assist in efforts to protect biodi-
versity.
A male Tibetan antelope, or chiru.
A herd of blue sheep.
10. 9
The continuation of Tibetan antelope migration, one
of the last great natural marvels on earth, depends on
better protection of the species, improved understand-
ing of their ecology and better insights into the dynam-
ics of the Tibetan Plateau ecosystem. It also requires
innovative approaches to conservation and pastoral
development that adopt participatory, integrated eco-
system management models that work at the landscape
level.
If antelope embodies the expanse, the wild yak charac-
terizes the elemental wild nature of the Chang Tang. I
made a number of excursions onto the Tibetan Plateau
to conduct research on wild yaks. Wild yaks character-
ize the elemental nature of the Chang Tang landscape.
No other animal so evokes the raw energy and wild
beauty of the Chang Tang. Standing almost two me-
ters high at the shoulders and weighing up to a ton and
with horns a meter long, wild yaks are magnificent
creatures. The wild yak is an indicator species; its pres-
ence reveals a special place – a sacred space. With wild
yaks roaming the landscape, an ecosystem is still intact.
If the land can provide habitat for wild yaks, many of
the other species of Tibetan wildlife will be there as
well.
Galloping across the steppes, their russet and cream-
colored bodies contrasting with the golden hue of the
grasslands, Tibetan wild ass, or kiang, suggest a sense of
unbridled freedom. The remote, northwestern part of
the Tibetan Plateau offer notable examples of range-
land ecosystems relatively unchanged by humans and
provide the untrammeled space for large herds of kiang
to roam freely.
As a rangeland ecologist, grasses and the interactions
between vegetation and the animals – both wild and
domestic – interest me. In my numerous journeys on
the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalaya I’ve endeav-
ored to understand the ecology of the rangelands.
Why are distinctive plant communities found in certain
areas? What species of plants dominate these plant
communities? What grasses are grazed by livestock?
Do wildlife eat the same plants? These are questions I
asked myself as I walked across the landscape, my eyes
trying to pick out patterns on the ground. To the un-
trained eye that is unable to distinguish one plant from
another, Tibetan rangelands, especially in the vast
northern steppes, can appear boring and lifeless, par-
ticularly when majestic mountains dominate the hori-
zon. But it is the diversity in plant species and mix of
plant communities on the rangelands that influences
the grazing patterns of livestock and the behavior of
wildlife. And it is this diversity in vegetation and the
ecological functioning of the Tibetan Plateau landscape
that needs to be understood in order to sustain the
natural resources for future generations.
A bull wild yak in the Chang Tang.
Tibetan wild ass, or kiang.
11. 10
With their homes rolled up in bundles and lashed to the back of yaks as
they move across the steppes, Tibetan nomads offer a rare perspective on
life. Their world operates on a rhythm quite different from the one to
which we are accustomed. Nomads’ lives are finely tuned to the growth
of grass, the births of animals and the seasonal movement of their herds.
Like many people living close to nature, nomads have developed a close
connection to the land and the livestock that nurture them.
Yak caravan in front of the mountain,
Nyenchen Thangla (above). Nomad man
from the Chang Tang (lower left) and a
nomad woman from Kham (lower right).
12. 11
Nomadic pastoralism, the raising of livestock by people
who make periodic movements with their animals to
different grazing lands, is one of the great advances in
the progression of mankind. The exact beginning of
Tibetan nomadic pastoralism is not known. There is
evidence, however, for the raising of livestock on the
Tibetan Plateau over 4,000 years ago. Tibet has always
been rich with animals, butter and wool. The nomadic
pastoral society, with people accustomed to taking care
of animals, enabled the rise of the Tibetan Emprie in
the 7th century with troops on horseback easily organ-
ized for cavalry to travel swiftly and conquer far-flung
territories. Tibetan nomadic pastoralism flourished
because there was little encroachment into the nomadic
areas by farmers trying to plow up the rangeland and
plant crops as happened in southern Mongolia. In ad-
dition, the livestock production practices developed by
Tibetan nomads were a successful evolutionary adapta-
tion to life in one of the most inhospitable places on
earth.
Tibetan nomads, whom I have worked with for over
30 years, continue to fascinate me. Moving across the
grazing lands with their yaks, their homes a yak-hair
tent, nomads evoke freedom. While never totally free
to roam aimlessly, as their movements were usually
prescribed by monasteries, wealthy landlords or tribal
restrictions, Tibetan nomads’ worldview cherishes in-
dependence and the liberty to move in search of pas-
ture for their herds, especially among the Golok tribes
in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Nomads are con-
stantly exposed to the elements of nature – rain, snow-
storms, and drought; they take these events for granted
and face them with remarkable equanimity. Values
that humankind admires – courage, integrity, and gen-
erosity – are principles instinctive to nomads. They
also have an intimate knowledge of their environment
and an amazing ability to handle animals – a skill rare
among most people today. Despite these admirable
traits, Tibetan nomads are facing serious threats to
their way of life.
Grazing lands and nomads’ tents east of Tso Ngonbo, or Qinghai Lake in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.
Following pages: Nomad from the Aba region in northeast Tibet on horse-
back and nomad woman in front of a tent in the Chang Tang region.
13. 14
Tibetan nomads provide examples of
nomadic livestock production practices
that were once widespread throughout
the world, but are now increasingly rare.
The fact that Tibetan nomads and, in
some areas, wildlife, have managed to
exist on the Tibetan Plateau until re-
cently, attests to the rationality and effi-
cacy of many aspects of traditional Ti-
betan nomadic pastoral production.
Over thousands of years, Tibetan no-
mads accommodated to their environ-
ment, learning to live with what it of-
fered instead of changing and molding
the landscape to suit their needs, as
farmers try to do. Thus, Tibetan nomads
have much to teach us about living in
harmony with the land.
In the last quarter century, the nomadic
pastoral areas on the Tibetan Plateau
have seen far-reaching changes. These
changes are radically transforming age-
old livestock production methods, land-
use practices and the socio-economic
fabric of Tibetan society. Many range-
lands that used to be managed commun-
ally have been privatized, allocated to
individual households and fenced. Con-
flicts over grazing rights have led to
“range wars” in some areas. Fences have
curtailed seasonal movements of live
stock, leading to overgrazing in many
places. Fences have also triggered con-
flicts with wildlife, especially kiang and
chiru. In the northeastern Tibetan Pla-
teau, in what is now known as Qinghai
Province, it is estimated that about one-
third of the rangelands are considered to
be overgrazed. Authorities, concerned
with environmental degradation, are
moving nomads out of the grasslands
and settling them in towns, but nomads
are often ill-prepared for this new type of
existence, lacking the education and skills
to find gainful employment.
Nomad with horse and saddle carpet (above). For centuries, Tibetan have used knotted car-
pets as saddle carpets and horse blankets on their horses and yaks. A nomad woman and
children in front of their yak-hair tent near Aba in what is now northern Sichuan Province of
China (below).
14. 15
I have often argued for maintaining livestock mobility
in order to promote livestock production and the
health of the rangelands in the pastoral areas of the
Tibetan Plateau. Current policies and development
plans to settle Tibetan nomads goes against state-of-
the-art information and analyses for livestock pro-
duction in pastoral areas. This body of scientific
knowledge champions the mobility of nomads’ herds
as way to sustain the grazing lands and nomads’ live-
lihoods. Livestock mobility should be encouraged on
the Tibetan Plateau instead of eliminated and nomads
should be empowered to manage the rangelands they
use. Certainly, nomads need to be more involved in
any process that attempts to transform their produc-
tion system.
What happens when nomads are forced to settle and
move into towns? Is their indigenous knowledge of
the rangelands and livestock lost? Is their relationship
with the environment severed? Does a home on the
range have to signify the demise of Tibetan nomadic
pastoralism? These are important questions that re-
quire answers in order to develop the rangelands of
the Tibetan Plateau in a sustainable manner and in
ways that are sensitive to Tibetans’ needs and desires.
Tibetan nomads moving across the rangelands.
Nomad woman milking a dri, or female yak.
15. 16
The reasons for rangeland deterioration on the Tibetan
Plateau are not well understood. There are signs of a
gradual desiccation of the plateau, evident from old
beach lines around lakes. It is also apparent that alpine
sedge meadows are undergoing a physical transforma-
tion, probably because of reduced precipitation over
the last couple of thousands of years. Less moisture
possibly means that the sedge meadow plant communi-
ties can not sustain themselves any longer and plants
are dying, leading to ‘degraded’ patches of bare soil, or
‘black beach’ as it is termed. Livestock grazing and the
nomads’ traditional practices are often blamed for this
degradation. While certain areas of the plateau have
been subjected to overgrazing by livestock in the past
and livestock numbers do exceed the carrying capacity
of the rangelands in some areas now, nomads are, un-
fortunately, often blamed for much of the environ-
mental deterioration seen today. Maintaining range-
land health is critical, not only to provide forage for
wildlife and livestock, but to maintain the watershed
properties of the rangelands. Development ap-
proaches are needed that integrate ecological processes
of the rangelands with the economic processes of live-
stock production and biodiversity conservation.
A pika (Ochotona curzoniae), a small
mammal related to rabbits that is common
on Tibetan rangelands and is considered a
“keystone” species, providing many impor-
tant ecosystem functions. Pikas provide
food for bears and wolves and birds use
their burrows for nesting. Widespread
pika eradication programs have unintended
consequences for the Tibetan environment.
Alpine sedge meadows near Nakchu exhibiting what is referred to as ‘black beach’. These eroded areas are often unfairly attributed to livestock grazing. The
showy flower (inset, upper left) is Stellera chamaejasme, an unpalatable plant and an indicator of overgrazing when it is widespread on the rangelands.
Many nomads now have motorcycles
(right) that makes their lives easier.
Nomads playing pool (far right) in the
town of Shuanghu in northern Tibet.
Nomads often find it difficult to compete
for jobs when they settle down and move
to town.
16. 17
The Tibetan Plateau is in peril. Glaciers are shrinking.
Lakes are drying up. Rangelands are overgrazed and
forests are mismanaged. Biodiversity is being lost.
Economic development is often pursued at the ex-
pense of the environment and local peoples’ aspira-
tions, affecting the long term sustainability of the land
to provide natural resources for the future. Spiritual
connections that Tibetans have with the landscape are
also eroding. Reversing these trends needs to become
a priority.
The challenge is to balance the diverse economic, cul-
tural and social needs of the inhabitants of the Tibetan
Plateau with the need to maintain the environment and
conserve the biodiversity and cultural heritage of the
landscape. This calls for strengthened participation by
local people in the entire development process. It also
requires that Tibetans’ indigenous knowledge of the
environment is better understood and that there is ac-
knowledgement of the efficacy of many traditional
natural resource management practices and beliefs.
Fences on the rangelands in the Damzhung region north of Lhasa, delineating individual herders’ grazing land that has been allocated to households.
17. 18
On my explorations on the Tibetan Plateau, I would
occasionally come across skulls of wild yaks. Some
were old and bleached out. Others, from animals re-
cently killed by poachers, still had shiny, black horns.
Wherever they are found, wild yak skulls serve as a
poignant, silent sentinel – a reminder of the magnifi-
cent herds of wildlife that once roamed the vast Ti-
betan landscape. Wild yaks once roamed throughout
the Tibetan Plateau and numbered in the millions.
Now, only an estimated 15,000 wild yaks are left, and
these animals can only be found in the most remote
areas, far from the hunters’ guns. Preserving the re-
maining herds of wild yaks is fundamental to main-
taining the Tibetan Plateau ecosystem. Without the
wild yak, Tibet will have lost one of its characteristic
species; a loss the world cannot afford and should not
allow to let happen.
There will be a great and tragic emptiness on the Ti-
betan steppes if the environment is allowed to dete-
riorate. The irreplaceable Tibetan culture will be
transformed beyond recognition and Tibetans will
lose their singular identity. The wildlife – grand, mov-
ing masses of migratory chiru, herds of magnificent
wild yak, and graceful Tibetan gazelle bounding across
the steppes – will only be found in photographs of
explorers’ accounts or in the memories of older Tibet-
ans told to their children. These consequences can be
avoided if timely action is taken to acknowledge the
special attributes of the Tibetan Plateau ecosystem.
This requires serious evaluation of the natural re-
sources, increased understanding of current land use
practices, greater appreciation for Tibetan nomads
and farmers and their worldview and a rethinking of
current development approaches.
Wild yak skull in the Wild Yak Valley in the Kunlun Mountains.
18. 19
For spiritual and cultural reasons the Tibetan Plateau
is also important. It is a sacred geography with many
mountains considered holy. In this sacred realm,
Mount Kailash is the most famous holy mountain. It
is a divine area to Buddhists, Bons, Hindus and Jains.
Among Tibetans, both Buddhists and followers of
Bon, there are numerous holy mountains on the Ti-
betan Plateau. These sacred peaks are viewed as the
abode of gods or deities and are worshipped accord-
ingly. Associated with many of the holy mountains
are sacred lakes that have a feminine aspect in con-
trast to the male nature of the mountains. For exam-
ple, Lake Manasarovar is paired with Mount Kailash
and Lake Namtso is linked with the mountain,
Nyenchen Thanglha.
The deities ascribed to these sacred mountains and
their consorts identified with the lakes are viewed as
ruling over the landscape with the power to protect
the local inhabitants. As such, the mountain gods are
constantly placated. Prayer flags are strung from
mountain passes and incense is burned to appease the
gods. Tibetans make pilgrimages to circumambulate
holy mountains and lakes. Many of the Tibetans’ be-
lief in sacred places are derived from the aboriginal,
‘folk’ religion of Tibet that predated the arrival of
Buddhism over 1,000 years ago. Nomads and farmers
across the Tibetan Plateau still believe that a person’s
life force is connected with a locality and the spirits
and deities that dwell there and that a deterioration of
this bond between humans and the spiritual realm can
have negative repercussions.
Astronaut photo of the holy mountain, Nyenchen Thanglha, and the sacred lake, Namtso. NASA
19. 20
The Tibetan landscape has experienced heart-
wrenching spiritual and cultural misfortune in the past
fifty years. Yet, like resilient rangelands that sprout
new shoots of grass in the spring in spite of being
grazed by animals the year before, Tibetans’ spiritual
essence is proving to be hardy and long-lasting. De-
spite overwhelming efforts to do away with Tibetans’
belief in Buddhism, Tibetans’ faith remains resolute.
With its tenet of compassion and reverence for all sen-
tient beings, Buddhism can be a powerful force for
protecting the environment. The 14th Dalai Lama has
long championed greater respect for the Tibetan envi-
ronment. This ‘simple monk’ has said, “We must now
help people to understand the need for environmental
protection. We must teach people to understand the
need for environmental protection. We must teach
people that conservation directly aids our survival.”
The survival of the Tibetan Plateau environ-
ment, with its globally strategic water re-
sources, extensive rangelands providing live-
lihoods for millions of nomads and farmers,
and unique biodiversity, depends on greater
respect for the earth’s living things. The
Dalai Lama, with adroit clarity wrote, “The
decision to save the environment must come
from the human heart. The key point is a
call for a genuine sense of universal respon-
sibility that is based on love, compassion and
clear awareness.”
Ganden Monastery, outside of Lhasa, was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution but is being rebuilt.
Nomad children in Amdo dancing at a summer festival.
20. 21
Saving the Tibetan Plateau for future
generations requires new attitudes that
view the landscape more holistically,
with greater appreciation for its inherent
beauty as well as economically valued
resources, and with a better sense of its
sacred nature. Throughout the Tibetan
Plateau and in the Himalayas, Tibetans
build stupas, or chortens as they are called
in Tibetan to transform a site into a sa-
cred place. A monument of stone, con-
structed according to precise design, a
stupa’s original purpose was as a reli-
quary, enshrining the bones of important
spiritual teachers. With shapes repre-
senting the five primary elements - earth,
fire, water, air and space - stupas have
come to symbolize the omnipresence of
enlightenment or Buddha-mind. In
many areas, eight stupas are constructed
in a row, with the design of each one
slightly different, commemorating the
eight major events in Buddha’s life. As
such, stupas, wherever they are found,
bring peace to the surrounding area and
good health and long-life to local inhabi-
tants; they transmit a sense of the sacred
to the entire landscape.
After months working in the Chang
Tang, often spending weeks way beyond
the last inhabited nomad areas, one of
my favorite experiences as I drove from
Nakchu to Lhasa was to come upon the
eight stupas, known as Chorten Rang
Go, on the pass between the Salween
and Brahmaputra Rivers near the town
of Damzhung. We would stop the car
and circumambulate the stupas, shouting
“Lha Gyal Lo” - May the Gods be Victo-
rious - giving thanks for our successful
journey and asking for blessings as we
continued on to Lhasa. With prayer
flags fluttering in the wind in front of a
panorama of the holy mountain,
Nyenchen Thangla, one sensed the spiri-
tual connection that Tibetans have to the
landscape.
The giant appliqué thangka, or gos sku, with the image of Buddha in the earth witness ges-
ture, at Tsurphu Monastery, the seat of H.H. the Karmapa north of Lhasa (above) and a
row of eight stupas near Dawu in Kham (below).
22. 23
The Mandarin Chinese word for Tibet, xizang, means
“western treasure house,” alluding to its vast natural,
cultural and spiritual wealth . Official Chinese gov-
ernment statements often maintain that what takes
place in Tibet is the "internal affairs" of the People's
Republic of China. But, given its environmental sig-
nificance, Tibet and the much greater geographical
area encompassed by the Tibetan Plateau, is of global
concern. The Tibetan Plateau now needs to be
viewed as the “world’s treasure house.”
Twelve-hundred years ago, with remarkable pre-
science, Tibetans viewed their homeland as the "heart
of the world." A 9th Century Tibetan document
found in the caves of the Buddhist center at Dun-
huang, along the old Silk Road just north of the Ti-
betan Plateau, attests to the environmental signifi-
cance Tibetans attributed to their homeland over one
thousand years ago:
This center of heaven,
This core of the earth,
This heart of the world,
Fenced round by snow,
The headland of all rivers,
Where the mountains are high and
The land is pure.
The world now needs to ensure that the treasures of
the Tibetan environment remain healthy and continue
to provide vital ecosystem services. Not only for the
people living on the Tibetan Plateau but for hundreds
of millions of people in adjoining areas whose lives
are affected by what happens to the Tibetan environ-
ment. As a first step, we could begin by acknowledg-
ing the hallowed nature of the Tibetan landscape and
start to treat it with a little more reverence and respect
as the Tibetan people have for centuries.
Computer generated visualization of the Tibetan Plateau from satellite imagery. NASA
(left) Stupa at Kirti Monastery in Aba in the northeastern Tibetan area known as Amdo.
23. 24
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the
author and may not reflect those of his employer, the U.S. Agency for International
Development, or the U.S. Government.
