"Nature leaves a mark on you, don’t leave one behind"

The Himalayan countries, especially India, are popular target locations for tourists who visit these places for trekking, mountaineering, adventure sports and to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Himalaya. The religious sanctity of natural landmarks and cultural richness of indigenous communities draws pilgrims and cultural connoisseurs from around the world. The number of tourists who visited the Indian Himalayas in the year 2004 is estimated to be 12, 870,928 (for Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand)*, and this has steadily risen.

This unprecedented increase in tourism is far more tremendous than the tourism carrying capacity of the beautiful and pristine mountain ranges. With increased tourism and higher human footprint, also comes the burden of increased sewage and garbage, interference with breeding and proliferating activities of flora and fauna, and increase in sound and air pollution. In order to allow tourism practices to continue and contribute to national revenue while conserving the health of these ecosystems, it is vital to create awareness about these issues and to catalyze action on the ground.

In order to highlight these issues, WWF is working on conserving the Himalaya with special focus on high altitude wetlands (water bodies at altitudes above 3,000 metres above sea level) in the region, which are mainly fed by snow and glacial melt water (the purest form of freshwater). Through the ‘Saving Wetlands Sky-High! Initiative, in India, WWF is working in five Himalayan states - Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Regionally, the programme covers Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and China.

School Kids at Green Hiker Rally in Ladakh - WWF-India

The Campaign

In order to minimise the negative impacts of tourism on the Himalayan ecosystem, WWF initiated the Green Hiker campaign in 2009. This campaign aims at raising awareness about the vulnerability of the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and encouraging ‘responsible tourism’ in the region, targeting tourists and service providers in the tourism industry. The campaign message is simple and direct – Nature leaves a mark on you, don’t leave one behind. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is a partner to Green Hiker.

Tourists in Sikkim being told about Green Hiker - WWF-India

Tourists can make a big difference while travelling through the mountains, through small measures like these:

1. Do not litter, either on trekking routes or in water bodies; anywhere!
2. Minimise noise pollution from phones, radios, loud conversations
3. Avoid flash photography, bright-coloured clothing and open fires
4. Get local guides wherever possible so that the economic benefits remain in the region.
5. Avoid feeding wildlife
6. Support community based initiatives like home stays, which are a good alternative to hotels
7. Avoid clearing new areas or tracks to help minimise erosion, habitat clearing and trampling on vegetation
8. Avoid camping less than 30 meters from water bodies
9. When choosing routes and campsites, avoid highly sensitive sites such as breeding grounds (which may be seasonal) and areas where vulnerable or sensitive species exist
10. Avoid over-packaged goods and disposable items. Purchase in bulk and use recyclable and refillable containers where possible

For more information on Green Hiker or to sign up to support, visit www.wwfindia.org/greenhiker

Ragini Letitia Singh is the Senior Regional Communications Officer for WWF-India's Himalayan High Altitude Wetlands Programme. Besides writing and creating awareness-raising material for the programme, she manages the Green Hiker campaign.