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Our
Partners
KarmaQuest works in partnership with reputed international and grass-roots conservation
and social-service organizations in the places we visit. Together we
plan and carry out adventure travel and outdoor learning trips that
benefit communities and help protect the environment and cultural heritage
that foster tourism and improved livelihoods. Our trips contribute to
the following organizations' work. Please see their websites for more
information.
Snow Leopard Conservancy (US/Himalayan Region)
The Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) is dedicated to demonstrating
innovative grassroots measures that lead local people to become better
stewards of the endangered snow leopard, its prey and its habitat. KarmaQuest
trips to areas that support snow leopard (see Quest of the Snow Leopard
description on home page) help generate funds and awareness for snow
leopard conservation, and income for mountain inhabitants as an incentive
for conservation. www.snowleopardconservancy.org.
The Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) is a group of like-minded people working to accomplish a common mission. ECOSS members are dedicated to community self reliance and have a mandate to achieve the goals of sustainable development in the fields of ecotourism and conservation. We are a registered body recognized by the Government of Sikkim as an independent, non-political, not-for-profit Non Governmental Organization. Wendy has worked closely with ECOSS and its staff for many years. International membership is welcome. http://www.sikkiminfo.net/ecoss
Kangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC, Sikkim, India)
KCC is a community-based organization comprised of energetic and dedicated
members who help to educate and train communities in sustainable tourism,
and to manage the impacts of tourism on the natural enviornment and
cultural sites of Sikkim. Their office and Visitor Information Center
is in Yuksom, West Sikkim, India. KCC greets all KarmaQuest trips to
Yuksom, the trailhead to Kangchendzonga National Park, showing guests
their work in the community and helping to promote homestay accommodations. http://sikkimkcc.netfirms.com/kcc/index.html
Royal Society for Protection of Nature (Bhutan)
www.rspnbhutan.org is the first non-governmental organization established in Bhutan
dedicated solely to environmental conservation. Its main activities
are related to conservation of the endangered black necked-crane, and
environmental education in schools. Through the UNESCO Cultural and
Ecotourism program, it is helping the villagers of Phobjikha devleop
ecotourism. International membership is welcome. www.rspn-bhutan.org
The Mountain Institute (TMI)
TMI is a non-profit scientific and educational organization committed
to the preservation of mountain environments and advancement of mountain
cultures around the world. Wendy Lama is a Senior Fellow with The Mountain
Institute, after having worked for ten years on the Himalaya Program.
TMI and its partner organizations in Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet help monitor
the impacts of tourism and provide training in ecotourism to local peoples. www.mountain.org
World Wide Fund for Nature and Wanglang Nature Reserve
WWF is an international wildlife conservation organization.
WWF China and the Pingwu County Integrated Conservation and Development
Program (ICDP) are undertaking an integrated approach to conserving
the Giant Panda and its natural habitat in Wanglang Nature Reserve,
one of the oldest and most important Giant Panda reserves in China.
KarmaQuest invites you to visit Wanglang Reserve and nearby Baima villages
to learn about and help support Panda conservation. www.slack.net/~rd/wanglang/home.htm.org
Mountain Spirit (Nepal)
MS is a non-profit, non-governmental organization formed to support
conservation and sustainable development in the mountain regions of
Nepal. All if its members are from mountain communities and "have
had the good fortune to become educated professionals... The strength
of Mountain Spirit is its commitment to do something with our own people
and places..." www.mountainspiritnepal.org TIES (The International Ecotourism Society) KarmaQuest is an active member of TIES, and is featured in its
Travel Choice listing, where "Your Choice Makes a Difference." Please
see TIES website www.ecotourism.org for more information.
UNESCO
KarmaQuest co-owner Wendy Lama serves as an Advisor to the UNESCO program
on Cultural and Ecotourism in Mountain Regions of South and Central
Asia, helping to develop and sustainable tourism that benefits
communities and conserves mountain resources. KarmaQuest trips in Ladakh,
Sikkim, Bhutan, and Kyrgyzstan collaborate with UNESCO partners and
support the program's objectives. www.http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1392&URpromoteL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
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