Lhasa [Tibet] - The formal designation of landscapes as national parks in Tibet brings significant changes in the transfer of legal power and investment from local and provincial governments to the national party-state in Beijing. While the immediate impact on the ground may be limited, the nationalization process is accompanied by metropolitan investment, recruitment of local staff as park rangers, and the enforcement of national policies.
China's approach to national parks in Tibet focuses on securing even the remotest landscapes and settlements, considering them as potential security threats. Development with Chinese characteristics involves urbanization, sedentarization, and centralized services such as education and healthcare to encourage nomads to settle in designated areas.
President Xi Jinping's directives emphasize the need to understand major national security issues and modernize the national security system. However, the tension between development, security, and stability goals in Tibet remains unresolved, as the entire Tibetan plateau is perceived as a security threat.
The implementation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Restoration Law reinforces national control and aims to achieve ecological civilization through active human involvement. This law calls for the displacement of nomads from their pastures and their settlement in concrete housing, which significantly impacts their traditional way of life.
Park rangers play a crucial role in constant patrols and enforcing the removal of nomads and grazing pressure, even if it affects their own families. Wildlife protection is prioritized, leading to policies that displace drokpa (nomadic mountain people of Tibet) and require the dismantling of fences to facilitate wildlife migration.
While national parks are established in northern Tibet, the biodiversity-rich regions of Kham have limited protection. Mining activities, such as copper extraction and lithium mining, pose threats to the region's environment. Large-scale hydro dams and mineral processing further impact Kham's ecosystems.
The establishment of national parks in Tibet has mixed outcomes, including widespread disempowerment, displacement, and depopulation of range lands. Tibetan communities increasingly rely on transfer payments from the central party-state, raising concerns about food security and cultural sustainability.
It is essential to consider both the positive and negative effects of national parks in Tibet to fully comprehend their implications. The current trajectory of national park development aligns with China's focus on global security risks and resource extraction, raising concerns about the long-term impact on the region's environment and communities.
News courtesy : ANI