Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale (TMJ) Area

The Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale area, which was marked out as a potential Community Conservation Area (CCA) for its rich biodiversity, especially rhododendron diversity, is situated at the confluence of three districts - Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung - in the eastern hilly region of Nepal. It comprises an area of 558 sq. km. in 23 Villege Development Committees (VDCs). It is situated along the ridge that extends, rising and falling, all the way from basantapur to the Lumbasumba Himal. The ridge sits between the Arun and Tamor river basins, the run-off from the eastern flank of the ridge joining the tamor river system and from its western flank the Arun. To the Southern end of the TMJ area is the Tinjure Danda (3000m). The ridge continues north-northeastward to join the main chain of the great Himalayan mountain range through the Lumbasumba Himal and converges in three mountains that comprise a group between the Kanchanjunga and the Makalu ranges. The highest peak of the jaljale Himal is 5,333m. A small glacier is also located on the north side of the main ridge.

TMJ provides a natural niche for dozens of rhododendron species-mixed to pure stands of over 28 species. Although very disturbed at lower elevations, the stands north of Basantapur and Lasune are still intact. Further, the TMJ area -16 VDCs in three districts - link with the Kanchanjungha Conservation Area (KCA) to the northeast, and Makalu Barun National Park (MBNP) and Conservation Area and Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park (SNP) to the northwest. Given that these areas are being considered for one of the largest trans-boundary and landscape corridor efforts - with Qomolangma in Tibbet and Sikkim and Bhutan - the corridor integrity of the area is important to preserve, even as an outlying corridor area.

TMJ area has been identified as an area that hosts globally significant biodiversity, especially the greatest rhododendron occurrences in Nepal. Since it lies between two conservation areas in the east of Nepal, it contains elements of and serves an important corridor function for the most biodiversity rich area of Nepal (Part of the Indo-Malayan hotspot). It is an area that hosts several species of rare and endemic flora and fauna.

The people of TMJ are heavily dependent upon biological resources and given the nature of the land of the livelihood security is tenuous. Only some 25% of the total land area in TMJ is cultivated and the remaining 75% is made up of forest, bush / shrub and grass land. There are limited opportunities for diversifying income and is argued that any opportunity to raise income through appropriate management and technologies will contribute to maintaining livelihood security and minimize the risk of conflict emerging from poverty. The TMJ area has 8231 households with more than 50,000 people. The majority of the people are from the Limbu, Gurung and Rai ethnic groups, followed by Brahman, Chhetri (35%) Sherpa and Bhote (7%) and Tamang (5%) Other ethnic/ cast groups like Newar, Gurung, Kami, Damai, and Sarki, account for the remaining 5 percent.

source:

http://www.norm.org.np/workarea.php