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![]() Tibetan prayer flags at Meili Snow Mountain ©TNC |
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Straddling the Yunnan-Tibet border, the Meili Snow Mountain Range rises steeply between the deep gorges of the Mekong and Salween Rivers. Towering 22,241 feet above sea level, Kawagebo Peak is the tallest mountain in Yunnan Province and is one of eight sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism. Moreover, this sacred geography has profound implications for conservation. The extraordinary topographic extremes of the Meili Snow Mountain range—rising from arid canyons to snow-capped peaks—have led to the region’s significant biodiversity.
Threats
Despite its rich natural resources, this remote area is one of the poorest in all of China, and recent commercial logging bans have further devastated the local economy. Wood collection for cooking, heating, and construction remain a primary threat to biodiversity in Meili. To accommodate a sharp increase in population, six new homes are completed each day on average, causing habitat destruction and fragmentation. Human demands upon the finite water supply continue to increase as well.
Plants
Because of the topographic extremes, the Meili area includes seven climatic zones, creating an incredible diversity of plant and fungi species. In addition to many endangered plant species, the Meili area is home to over 75% of Tibetan medicinal herbs.
Animals
Extraordinarily rich in biological diversity, Meili Snow Mountain provides habitat for a wide variety of endangered wildlife, including:
Our Conservation Strategy
To meet the conservation needs of this area and its people, the Conservancy has completed a draft resource management plan for Meili Snow Mountain that places special emphasis on reducing the threats of future mass tourism projects. Moreover, the Conservancy will continue to work closely with Tibetan communities, government officials, and technical experts to implement the plan.
What the Conservancy Is Doing
Although Meili Snow Mountain is now within the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site, it lacks protected area status. The Conservancy's work includes:
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