As part of the HiM-DATA (High-altitude Monasteries for Data Acquisition, Tracking & Awareness) initiative, the SEN team had the honor of meeting with Mr. Konchok Tenzing Lama, Chairperson of Narpa Bhumi Rural Municipality, Manang, to discuss strengthening high-altitude climate data systems in alignment with local development priorities. The discussion focused on establishing reliable weather monitoring stations in remote mountain areas and ensuring that data collection efforts directly support community needs, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation planning at the local government level.
The Chairperson shared valuable insights on community engagement and emphasized the importance of integrating scientific observations with local knowledge systems. This engagement marks an important step toward collaborative, data-driven decision-making for resilient mountain communities.
The SEN team also held meaningful discussions with Mr. Om Lama at Drokung Monastery and Mr. Samdup Lama from Thrangu Monastery as part of the HiM-DATA outreach visit. Conversations centered on the growing impacts of climate change in Himalayan regions and the vital role monasteries can play in environmental stewardship and climate awareness. The team explored how monasteries could serve as trusted locations for weather monitoring systems, engaging monks and nuns through a citizen science approach.
The discussions also covered possibilities for institutional collaboration, long-term environmental observation, and participation in the upcoming HiM-DATA workshop. Mr. Om Lama appreciated the vision of the initiative and expressed positive interest in collaboration, suggesting outreach to Narayanthan Gumba to broaden engagement and informing that the proposal would be presented to the monastery’s administrative board for further consideration. These interactions reaffirm the importance of advancing community-centered climate action in high-altitude regions.
