"God exists in nature"

“Every plant and animal in the forest has a specific name in our local language. In this way, we connect with nature just like we connect with family and community.” Ugen Palzor, 45 Lepcha said as he climbed into a forest behind the village of Hee-Gyathang in Bangzungu district of Sikkim. , India.

Sikkim occupies only 0.22% of India's geographic area, but is rich in biodiversity. It is part of the Eastern Himalayan region, one of 12 large biodiversity hotspots in the world. Despite its small size, the state is home to more than 5,800 species of plants and 1,200 species of animals, many of which are rare and endemic found only in these areas.

One of the three largest indigenous communities in Sikkim, the Lepcha people are known for their deep reverence for nature and a nature-based way of life.

"For us, God exists in nature. Each Lepcha tribe has a mountain, a cave and a lake that they worship," Ugen explained. "Our traditional livelihood consists of agriculture and handicrafts made with natural fibres. This area is very rich in natural resources to provide for all our needs, which is why we call it 'mayal lyang' which means 'blessed by the gods soil of".

Over the past few decades, unsustainable infrastructure development and modern consumerism have negatively impacted the region. “All our produce is organic and handicrafts are sustainably produced. When we go to the market, the prices we get are not commensurate with the cost of inputs, the time and effort put into them. As a result, young people are leaving These occupations and migrate to cities. When this happens, our connection to nature and related cultural practices are also affected. If the Repcha people disappear, there will be no one to protect the rich biodiversity of the region," said Wu. Root said.

Ugen is the executive director of Mutanchi Lom Aal Shezum (MLAS), a community-based organization dedicated to protecting the Repucha way of life and the natural ecosystems that sustain it.

The Safe Himalayas initiative by the Global Environment Facility, the Government of India and the United Nations Development Program is working with the Government of Sikkim to support communities in sustainable, nature-based livelihoods. The United Nations Development Program works with organizations such as MLAS to increase the economic returns that the Repça people receive from their traditional livelihoods.

One such initiative is the processing of fibers derived from Himalayan nettle, a wild grass abundant in the region. Traditional yarn making methods take a lot of time and physical effort. Working with experts, the project ran a field training program for community members on better ways to harvest nettle plants from the wild. Nepal has imported machines to reduce the drudgery of spinning by hand from raw fibers.

"Products made of nettle fiber are in great demand in the international market and sales are very high. A meter of nettle fiber cloth costs about $20, while the same amount of cotton fiber costs only $1, so you can Imagine how much economic value we can bring to the community here if we can produce high-quality fibers.” Sonam Tashi Gyaltsen is the owner of La Designs, a boutique fashion brand from Sikkim brand, producing nettle fiber products and exporting them to places such as London and New York. Through training, La Designs is now able to source high-quality nettle fiber from the community.

Community-based biodiversity management is another area where the project works closely with the Repcha people of Zongu. As part of the project, a Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) was established, a government-recognized village-level body that encourages communities to create an inventory of all biological resources in the area so they can be used and managed sustainably.

The Hee-Gyathang BMC has prepared a People's Biodiversity Register, which contains an exhaustive inventory of all natural, agricultural and cultural resources in the region. Through this campaign, East Mirror Lake in the village was declared Sikkim's first Biodiversity Heritage Site - a unique and ecologically fragile ecosystem that requires special conservation efforts.

It is as a result of these efforts that Kanchendzonga National Park, which includes the Dzongu area, became the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in India under the 'Mixed' category, recognized for its natural and cultural significance. These designations help bring more resources to communities for biodiversity conservation.

"'Mutanchi Lom Aal Shezum' roughly translates to 'Mother of New Roads Organization'. Even as we face new challenges brought about by climate change and other factors, we believe that nature can show us new paths. If there were forests, Repcha The community survives. If there is a Lepcha community, the forest will survive,” said Ugen, watching the children happily pick fruit from the orange trees.

Despite the odds, the Repcha people have kept their connection to nature intact. We must learn from them how to plan for a future based on living in harmony with nature.