China News Service, Qinghai Zaduo, August 26
Author Li Jiangning
From herders to guides, from holding the whip in hand to picking up the camera...The herders who have lived at the source of the Lancang River for generations have completed the transformation from a grassland user to an ecological guardian in five years.
“I’ve lived here since I was a child, and I’m really a cowherd baby, but in the past few years, relying on the beauty of my hometown, my life is getting better and better.” Cairenni of Qinghai Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Angsai Township, Passion Village Ma said.
Angsai Township, Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, is the core area of the Lancang River Source Park in the Three Rivers Source National Park. The Lancang River flows round and round from the valleys.
In 2017, Angsai Township became the first pilot project to carry out ecological experience franchising activities in the Sanjiangyuan National Park.
In 2018, the local cooperative and the Chinese non-governmental nature conservation organization-Shanshui Nature Conservation Center cooperated to carry out at least twice a year centralized guide training for 21 natural experience host families in Angsai Township, and each family was given cooking skills, Door-to-door training in hospitality services, medical knowledge, etc.
Zhao Xiang, the conservation director of the Shanshui Nature Conservation Center, told the reporter of China News Agency that the ecological experience itinerary includes five types: snow leopard hunting, bird watching trip, hiking exploration, herder life experience, and valley star gazing.
Before becoming a guide, the 6 members of Cairen Nima's family depended on grazing and digging cordyceps for their livelihood every year.
"Grazing is only about 10,000 yuan (RMB, the same below) a year, and digging cordyceps can cost about 50,000 yuan each year. Sometimes the output of cordyceps is not high and the income is lower." Cairen Nima said.
"Now we have an income as a host family. At the same time, I am an eco-guardian. I have a salary of more than 20,000 yuan a year. All together, the annual income is about 120,000." Cairen Nima said. .
"In 2019, our total franchise turnover is more than 600,000 yuan, and the cost of one week for experiencers ranges from 7,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan. 45% of the revenue generated by the ecological experience project belongs to the host family, and 45% belongs to the community. For public affairs, 10% is used for the Wildlife Conservation Fund." Said Wang Duojie, the mayor of Angsai Township.
"From the beginning of the project in 2018, the Angsai Nature Experience Project has received a total of 133 nature experience teams from all over the world, among which foreign tourists accounted for 59.7% from 2018 to 2019." Zhao Xiang said.
As of December 2020, the Angsai Nature Experience Project has brought a total income of more than 1.36 million yuan to the community, of which the community public fund is about 480,000 yuan.
Cairen Nima is now a "herder photographer."
Last year, he used the reception income to buy a digital camera for himself.
Nowadays, the photos of wild animals taken by Cairen Nima look alike.
It is understood that in addition to the Angsai nature experience project, in recent years, the Lancang River Source Park and the Yellow River Source Park of the Three Rivers National Park have also carried out rafting, hiking and other franchise content to increase the income of local herders and actively explore the ecology of China's national parks. A new model of experience and nature education.
"Our national parks need to be inhabited. Whether rafting or snow leopard-themed nature experiences, the operation of the franchise is mainly based on cooperatives established by local herders. This is similar to national park franchise operations in other countries. The difference. I think this is a highlight of China's national park construction, that is, how to enable the aborigines to better participate in the franchise and benefit from the franchise." Zhao Xiang said.
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