For the nature conservation objective, the elements of biodiversity
and their patterns of distribution were identified as the
primary conservation targets (TNC 2003; YGRPPT 2002), which
are listed in Fig. 2. The alpine mosaic, which includes glaciers,
alpine and sub-alpine shrub communities, meadows, and talus,
was categorised as an important conservation priority because of
its high species richness, endemism, threats, and value to local
communities (Baker & Moseley 2007; Buntaine et al. 2006; Salick
et al. 2004; Sherman et al. 2007; Xu & Wilkes 2004). The forest
ecosystems include fir and spruce forests, mixed forests, sclerophyllous
evergreen broad-leaved forests, Pseudotusga forretsii
forests, and Cupressus ducloxiana forests (Ou et al. 2006). All of
these conservation targets were spatially defined using a vegetation
map (Zhang et al. 2008). Although endangered plants
and animals are included as important targets, the data for
endangered species are limited, especially for animals, where population
sizes and distributions are still poorly known. All of the
participating ecology and nature conservation experts regarded
vegetation as the most important criterion. In Meili Snow Mountain
National Park, most of the protected vegetation classes are
found above 2500 m (Ou et al. 2006; Zhang et al. 2008). Cultural
resources also were included as an important target for conservation.
The conservation targets as well as other vegetation classes were
weighted on a scale of 1–100 based on identified priorities for conservation.
In addition, a set of impact factors considered important
for these conservation targets were defined, such as distance from
roads, distance from villages, elevation, and distance from rivers
(Table 1). Roads were classified into different levels: large roads
(>6 m wide); village roads (2–6 m wide); and, trails (<2 m).
Tourism targets (e.g., attractive scenery, cultural attractions)
were identified and weighted (1–100 scale) by tourism experts and
were spatially delineated according to the vegetation map (Zhang
et al. 2008). Factors impacting tourism and recreation development
were identified, including distance from roads, distance to villages,
altitude, distance from endangered species, distance from rivers,
and slope (Table 2). These impact factors were represented using
spatial GIS data (raster or grid data).
Villages are the obvious targets for meeting the third objective
of community development, and impact factors that influence
cultural and community development were identified by experts
and local communities. The following criteria were selected: distance
from sacred sites; distance from towns; distance from roads;
vegetation; distance from rivers; elevation; scenery; and, slope, all
weighted on a 1–100 scale (Table 3).
Because local residents receive many ecosystem services from
the landscape (e.g., food, agricultural land, grazing land, fuel wood
and construction wood supplies, and medicines) (Salick et al. 2004),
and the services vary with the type of ecosystem, vegetation was
included as an important impact factor for community development.
Different vegetation classes were linked to local livelihoods
using a weighting factor based on four livelihood categories: agriculture;
livestock; timber and non-timber products; and, culture
(Table 4). The weight on how each vegetation class corresponded
to agricultural activities was ranked on a scale of 1–100 (von
Winterfeldt & Edwards 1986). For example, agriculture land is
the most important land use type (weight 100) for agriculture
activities. Sclerophyllous evergreen broad-leaved forests were the
next most important (weight 85) because their leaves are used
for fertiliser, and the fruits of these oak trees are used to produce
alcohol by the local Tibetan people. Similarly, vegetation classes
also were weighted for livestock development. The Sclerophyllous
evergreen broad-leaved forest was weighted at 45 (out of
100) because the leaves of oak trees are used as fodder for livestock
in this region. Alpine and sub-alpine meadows received the
highest weights because they are important summer grazing lands
for the local residents. For timber and non-timber products, also
weighed on a 1–100 scale, the sclerophyllous evergreen broadleaved
forest received a high weight because the local people
rely heavily on harvesting oak trees for firewood and collecting
mushrooms in this forest (Salick et al. 2004). Glaciers received
the highest weight for cultural activities (on a 1–100 scale swing
weight) because these high-elevation areas, including the peaks of
Kawagebo and Miancimu, are considered sacred and demarcated
by the ‘sacred line’ (Anderson et al. 2005; Guo 2000). Weights for
all other vegetation classes were obtained using a similar process.
The average weighting of the four livelihood categories was used as
a synthesis weight for each vegetation class in the final suitability
model.
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