https://hcsi-nepal.org/news daily 0.75 2021-01-04 https://hcsi-nepal.org/news/coming-soon monthly 0.5 2020-06-25 https://hcsi-nepal.org/blog-2 daily 0.75 2021-02-12 https://hcsi-nepal.org/about daily 0.75 2021-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594927283277-8EVVE72PJ6SSYHCD6QNQ/Oxyria+digyna_ThonakTsho_20170817_ElizabethByers+%2861%29.JPG The Mission The Gokyo Lakes, the highest freshwater lakes in the world - Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601391312579-2F81O6WWZ0A9Y0V3I1UW/Phortse+Patch+Village+-+Mock.jpeg The Mission https://hcsi-nepal.org/team daily 0.75 2022-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019964198-QQQSDE8K7PDMZIQY3ZK0/IMG_0527.jpg The Team - Rick Silber Rick Silber is the executive director and a co-founder of the Himalayan Climate & Science Institute. He is a litigation attorney in Washington, D.C., specializing in medical malpractice and personal injury law. A former trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Rick started his own law firm in 1992. Outside of law, Rick holds a passion for recreation in the outdoors. His climbs include Mt. Washington and Mt. Adams (winter ascents) in New Hampshire, Mt. Whitney in California, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Breithorn, the Munch and Pollux in the Alps, ranges in Alaska, Lobuche and Mera Peaks in Nepal. Today, Rick is Executive Director of International Mountain Trekking, Inc., providing guided treks in Nepal’s Everest region. He is also a member of the Board of the Directors of the Mycological Association of Washington, D.C. Rick is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire Law School and Beloit College where he majored in Biology. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601905116064-MNVOO9WRIZIAA4T5MTO5/SAB-Mary+Hubbard.jpg The Team - Mary Hubbard, Ph.D Dr. Hubbard is co-chair of the HCSI Science Advisory Board. She is a Professor of Geology in the Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University. She has previously served as Department Head at MSU and Kansas State University, and Dean of the College of Science and Vice Provost for Global Engagement at Utah State University. She is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. She earned her B.A. from the University of Colorado and her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She held a NATO post-doctoral fellowship at the ETH, Zurich. Her research has primarily been in the structural geology and tectonics of mountain belts and has taken her to the Himalaya, the Western Alps, the Southern Alps (NZ), the Mauritanides (Senegal), the Damara Belt (Namibia), the Appalachians, and the Rocky Mountains. She has worked in the Everest area of eastern Nepal since 1985. In 2017, she served as a Fulbright Specialist at the Tri Chandra Multiple Campus of Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. She was a co-leader of the geology team on the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Extreme Expedition in April/May 2019. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/132f2dd6-e49d-4932-9f65-5201de07298d/LT_Pheriche_2022.jpg The Team - Liam Torpy Liam Torpy is HCSI’s senior program director. Before joining HCSI’s leadership team, Liam worked with the Georgia chapter of The Nature Conservancy to create their current strategic plan, and he served as a lobbyist with the Georgia Water Coalition in Atlanta. Liam helped the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago collect and analyze data to support AZA Species Survival Plans, and he conducted practical conservation biology research in Tanzania to determine whether a key large mammal migration corridor in the Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem was still viable. He also served with the U.S. Forest Service outside of Bozeman, Montana and with the nonprofit Trees Atlanta. Liam has a deep interest in land and forest conservation that protects biodiversity and serve local communities. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.S. in environmental science. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595110362830-M59K95U6DQX2MNHVH0H7/Bio%252BPhoto.jpg The Team - Charles Bedford Charles Bedford is HCSI’s Strategic Planning Advisor. He is also the Principal in Keelback Consulting, a Hong Kong-based consultancy focused on sustainability, natural resource management and philanthropy. Clients include non-profits, private equity firms, and timber and fisheries companies. He recently stepped down from his role as Regional Managing Director for The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Asia Pacific Region. Charles worked closely with TNC country program leaders across Asia, the Pacific Islands and Australia to identify and advance essential marine, freshwater and land conservation priorities and projects. He also worked with the region’s business and government leadership on next-generation conservation solutions that benefit both nature and people. Prior to joining TNC, Charles served as director of the Colorado State Land Board, was the overseer of 3 million hectares of state lands, was Legal Counsel to Colorado Governor Roy Romer and practiced law with the firm Kutak Rock. He graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and holds a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law. He is the author of journal articles, blogs and a book on land tenure and conservation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019424894-4T4PDXWEEABHGGTYA9TR/D6AEE6B3-E988-4CC6-991B-69BAE559EBB3.jpg The Team - Sonam Jangbu Sherpa Sonam Jangbu Sherpa is a co-founder of HCSI and head of the HCSI Phorste Village Committee. Sonam’s family has lived in Phortse for as long as anyone can remember. His family owns property within Phortse which they have used for farming. Sonam and his family are donating the land which will house a research station for HCSI. Sonam is a graduate of the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, Varanasi, India and is a licensed high-altitude mountain guide with multiple Everest summits. A student of Tibetan Buddhism, Sonam has studied at the Dongag Thekchhok Chholing Gomba under the direction of the Tengboche Lama. He is the Director of Operations/Nepal for International Mountain Trekking, Inc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595110511369-Z09ZQU14L26X6IK4QKRW/Shiva.jpg The Team - Shiva Devkota, Ph.D Shiva Devkota is co-chair of the HCSI Science Advisory Board. He is a research scientist at Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Nepal, an institute managed by young PhD scholars to boost scientific impact in Nepal. Currently, he is leading a project entitled “Digitization of Mycological Collections in Nepal” funded by Global Biodiversity Information Facility / Biodiversity Information Fund for Asia (GBIF/BIFA). He is also contributing as a research fellow of the IPBES Assessment of Sustainable Use of Wild Species. He received his M.Sc degree in Botany (Major Mycology) and M.A, in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Ph.D. degree in Ecology and Evolution in 2017 from Bern University and Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland. Apart from his expertise in projects development and multi-pronged national/international partnership, his main research interest is understanding the ecology, sociology and conservation genetics of wild mushrooms, caterpillar fungus, lichens, and plants in the Himalayas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595029738033-4AXK7GP5U5WSEVICMBW9/about-Richard.original.jpg The Team Rick Silber - Executive Director of HCSI & Litigation Attorney https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601393180536-BD4Z1DDSELCDCQS3KKVO/Mary+Hubbard+Headshot.png The Team Mary Hubbard, Ph.D - Science Advisory Board Co-Chair - Montana State University - Head of Department of Earth Sciences https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019635375-X2R55LQ8Y3BYCO78KI2E/Shiva+Devkota+SciAdvBoard-17July.JPG The Team Shiva Devkota, Ph.D - Science Advisory Board Co-Chair - Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (GIIS), Nepal - Research Scientist in Mycology Genetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1629779983846-J8HVQVWT4893DHCJ53SZ/Karl%2BReichelt%2BOnline.jpg The Team Karl Reichelt - Senior Advisor at Equitix Investment Management https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601906327065-SJM02ELQ6ISKR208RTQX/SAB-Mary+Hubbard.jpg The Team Mary Hubbard, Ph.D - Head of Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592596588720-4QHLZ6MWV22LW8YYGTUO/Picture2.png The Team Andrea Easter-Pilcher, Ph.D - Weber State University - Dean of the College of Science and Professor of Wildlife Biology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601906162377-OXYCMF66XP1DF8RAXXTH/TEAM-Shiva.jpg The Team Shiva Devkota, Ph.D - Research Scientist at the Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592850494171-KCNE2RRA6I195DAQ77MP/photo-ananta-prasad-gajurel.jpg The Team Anata Prasad Gajurel, Ph.D - Tribhuvan University, Nepal -Geology/Tectonics/Geochemistry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601905423723-9L0BE5EC0TFVYYU7S310/TEAM-Sherpa.jpg The Team Sonam Jangbu Sherpa - Head of HCSI Phortse Village Committee; Director of Operations for International Mountain Trekking https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592849727134-F219EMLHE3Y9AJVPNUQ3/TomMatthews-2022cc.jpg The Team Tom Matthews, Ph.D - Loughborough University, UK - Lecturer in Climate Science https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/e74d6d4e-2a90-45f2-bfe2-ce7aa3aa0646/Michael+Maya+Bio+2.1.png The Team Michael Maya, J.D. - International Bar Association - Director of North America https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592849877541-LDQT2E8RMDJ7Q9RAMYFN/FACULTY-WENDY-R.jpg The Team Wendy Ridenour, Ph.D - The University of Montana Western - Ecologist and Associate Professor of Biology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595029381746-49M4QIOVZ6EUGZR3L7K6/israel_brian+%281%29.jpg The Team Brian D. Israel - Arnold & Porter - Partner and Chair of Environmental Practice Group https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601905423641-NCMNKIDM5UYL4FC5RU6F/Dr+Haddad.jpg The Team Robert I. Haddad, Ph.D - Kelly Services - Group Vice President & Principal Scientist of Kelly Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592848353968-NIK4AUHFX4OXCY8AWKYB/ROB-FEATURE.jpg The Team Rob Thomas, Ph.D - The University of Montana Western - Professor of Geology/Natural Hazards and Regents Professor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601905423169-7ULRYSUZ48UO58AZFU6L/Dr+Anneliese+Ripley.jpg The Team Anneliese Ripley - Dean of the School of Outreach, Director of Research and Grants at the University of Montana Western https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1611236687520-C5AU9D68SFGR7BPEOG96/SAB-MosheInbar.jpg The Team Moshe Inbar, Ph.D - University of Haifa, Israel - Animal and Plant Interactions https://hcsi-nepal.org/get-involved daily 0.75 2021-12-14 https://hcsi-nepal.org/our-work daily 0.75 2021-04-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594947370861-UFQGC016CXAI3MAZU44D/Tahr_Dingboche-Phortse_20160614_ElizabethByers%2B%252829%2529.jpg The Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594946402770-V43RPP7YYS0EA3UL4ATE/L8749091.jpg The Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601587034004-0GPM7NWWZT89FIGEDAUH/eric+4.jpg The Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594945908660-QS5S6ZTPWX1OBJ43S64I/Elizabeth%2BByers%2Bexamines%2BSaussurea%2Bgraminifolia_20140811_AltonByers.jpg The Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1613069893105-QQV5ZTWRRLCBG2UHOOOL/20190501_Hubbard_1000669.jpg The Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594946178201-UH9T5TICXX7CTNYT2HQV/IMG_2589.JPG The Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594941945111-BLARV82PKM6PHGLU8CEJ/IMG_0777.JPG The Work - Real Benefits for Communities Currently, Sherpa communities across the Khumbu are highly dependent upon tourism, trekking and climbing for their livelihoods. These occupations only generate income in warmer months, and they often prove dangerous. With projects running throughout the year, HCSI provides sustainable, long-term economic opportunities for local Nepali communities. HCSI’s expert scientific team collaborates with local citizens for support in analysis, data collection, and longitudinal field studies. Through every project, HCSI creates scientific training opportunities in order to build local scientific capacity. In addition to direct economic benefits, local communities are also aided by HCSI’s scientific findings, helping them to adapt to increasing erratic conditions caused by climate change. Photo by Steve Mock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1599677625206-2HB44HJ8S4Y02A5P8S2U/NgozumpaGlacierAtGokyoLake1_ElizabethByers.jpeg The Work - What We Preserve The Himalayan region of Nepal is full of life. It is one of the most densely populated mountainous regions in the world, and its broad array of biomes hosts an extraordinary array of biodiversity. Yet among all of the rich heritage and beauty, a threat looms. The Himalayas are already experiencing the harsh impacts of climate change. Each year, glaciers melt at faster rates, and floods, landslides and avalanches in the region increase in both severity and number. Changes in temperature and precipitation are also threatening the survival of the region’s unique wildlife and flora and the lifestyles of indigenous communities. By conducting practical research, HCSI directly aids efforts to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change in the region and around the world. Photo by Elizabeth Byers. https://hcsi-nepal.org/home daily 1.0 2022-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/057719d1-97fa-4ba7-99a2-1884d8504051/Everest+Glaciers+Cropped+Compressed.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1601389352860-LKR3YCC7MPJ6II87IS9S/Trekker%25252Bwith%25252BMountain.jpg Home - Scientific Impact “Phortse, where HCSI is based in Nepal, is an ideal base of operations for conducting meteorological/climatological research in Nepal’s Everest Region. It will be an essential addition for investigating mountain weather systems and climate change all over the world.” - HCSI Science Advisory Board https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594940324301-XV84CAUS3SKVOT6YYKI1/IMG_0184.JPG Home - Community Benefits “I watched how our sacred mountains, glaciers and landscapes in the Khumbu and on Everest drastically changed in my lifetime. The HCSI offers new opportunities for education, training, and employment, so my Sherpa community can partner with scientists in understanding how climate change is impacting our homeland.” - Sonam Jangbu Sherpa, HCSI Co-Founder and Board Member https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592854174684-67V7PUPVMIBTSV8UJXYT/L8749074.jpg Home Route Finding -- Eric Wong https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592584980843-YDFDU3DFN9ER3V4HZ3B8/thumb_IMG_6858_1024.jpg Home Tenzing Norgay -- Noam Argov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328808608-XBF8NVDE0C9IZ76XTMU1/Waldheimia+glabra_AmaDablamBC_20170830_ElizabethByers+%28140%29cr.jpg Home Waldheimia glabra -- Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594408071113-QFLNHCWTM4QKLG7YDC6D/Danphe+1.JPG Home Danphe Bird -- Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328366144-HJZ3UI9774I4UAWWRJ6J/Abies+spectabilis_MongLa-PhortseTenga_20170808_ElizabethByers+%28176%29.JPG Home Abies spectabilis -- Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594950207015-4FJRYVIV6L9NA5RPT313/Tahr.JPG Home Tahr dingboche -- Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328383345-P62WU75NYS7Z23YBN6CB/Primula+primulina_Langmale_20140805_ElizabethByers+%2812%29.png Home Primula primulina -- Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592854188105-VI74EBFLOX61B09ASWWY/L8749050.jpg Home Geological Survey -- Eric Wong https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595028369770-2VPSOYW3KQ3CWC2F93DJ/Local+with+a+lichen+%40+Shiva+Devkota.JPG Home Khumbu Local with a Lichen -- Shiva Devkota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328803022-VCWWOPN70544AG0SZZ6R/Tibetan+snowcock_IslandPeakBaseCamp_20160612_ElizabethByers+%281%29.JPG Home Tibetan snowcock -- Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328411156-VFRXOOSO5WFCWNVX2XQT/Rhododendron+arboreum_TengbocheHill_20170504_ElizabethByers+%286%29.JPG Home Rhododendron arboreum -- Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595028486014-96UYNKDE2JDGFGZH24UK/Local+with+a+mushroom+%40+Shiva+Devkota.JPG Home Khumbu Local with a Mushroom -- Shiva Devkota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328410021-V2TB3YA34VUB2AQ2K5PO/Saussurea+simpsoniana_KalaPattar_20170823_ElizabethByers+%2833%29.JPG Home Saussurea simpsoniana -- Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594950434068-9AKAPLG1MCU8CLUU1ZYR/IMG_6298.JPG Home Prayer Flags -- Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594950267517-R7TT2NVCJQP1TL9MU701/IMG_0817.JPG Home Puja -- Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595027259750-H020CJF8CFRTBT365ADR/Chlorociboria+aeruginascens+%40+Shiva+Devkota.JPG Home Chlorociboria aeruginascens -- Shiva Devkota https://hcsi-nepal.org/new-page-1 daily 0.75 2020-10-08 https://hcsi-nepal.org/about-1 daily 0.75 2020-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594927283277-8EVVE72PJ6SSYHCD6QNQ/Oxyria+digyna_ThonakTsho_20170817_ElizabethByers+%2861%29.JPG About (Copy) Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593193919833-HMQAGNDRVZPMY3PD5706/IMG_6187.JPG About (Copy) Photo By: Baker Perry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594336511990-0GOIY56PTYPZGUF0IOR4/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B9.51.21%2BAM.jpg About (Copy) - Sustainable Mountain Architecture Partnering with Nepalese architecture and design NGO, Sustainable Mountain Architecture, we are building the first cryospheric science center in the Himalayas. Comfortably nestled in Phortse Village (at 12,960 feet), the building will combine local materials and innovative design to create a world-class research facility and community center. The center will be completed in two phases: First, by transforming a house donated by the village. Second, by building the larger research facility. LT Version: The Perfect Setting for High-Altitude Science Partnering with Sustainable Mountain Architecture, a Nepalese architecture and design NGO, we are building a research center that will enable unprecedented scientific exploration in the Himalayas. Accessibly nestled in Phortse Village (at 12,960 feet), the center will combine local materials and innovative design to create a world-class research facility and community space. Following a remote program launch, the physical center will be built in two phases: Transforming a house donated by the village into a temporary space and utilizing existing space in the Khumbu Climbing Center. Constructing a larger, state-of-the-art research facility. https://hcsi-nepal.org/our-work-1 daily 0.75 2020-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594947370861-UFQGC016CXAI3MAZU44D/Tahr_Dingboche-Phortse_20160614_ElizabethByers%2B%252829%2529.jpg Our Work (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594946515371-V8FRY06KGR7EIFTHTWDT/Panurulunch+%281+of+1%29.jpg Our Work (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594947677301-4HWQH0E3HDAQF6GFNXI4/IMG_6381.jpg Our Work (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594946178201-UH9T5TICXX7CTNYT2HQV/IMG_2589.JPG Our Work (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594946402770-V43RPP7YYS0EA3UL4ATE/L8749091.jpg Our Work (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594945908660-QS5S6ZTPWX1OBJ43S64I/Elizabeth%2BByers%2Bexamines%2BSaussurea%2Bgraminifolia_20140811_AltonByers.jpg Our Work (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594941945111-BLARV82PKM6PHGLU8CEJ/IMG_0777.JPG Our Work (Copy) - Who We Serve The KRC will provide the local Sherpa community with alternate economic opportunities outside of tourism, trekking and climbing. It will offer research into agricultural opportunities beyond potatoes and buckwheat, crops that are facing irregular cycles due to climate change in the Himalayas. As a self-sustaining research facility, the KRC will operate throughout the calendar year. The KRC’s network will include academic, government and non-government organizations who would, in turn, collaborate with the local community in Phortse for support in data collection, field studies and research assistance. KRC will serve as a resource for scientific exploration, education and training. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594412299291-QZBO4X4YSG27TV4LHCK3/Steve%2Band%2BKarma.jpg Our Work (Copy) - What We Preserve The Himalayan region of Nepal is one of the most densely populated mountainous regions in the world and hosts an extraordinary array of terrestrial biodiversity, fauna, geologic and cryospheric environments. It is also an epicenter for Sherpa culture and religion. Many of the Sherpa there are either farmers or high-altitude mountain guides and lodge operators for tourists and climbers. It is well documented that the Himalayas are significantly impacted by climate change -- increasing the risk and frequency of floods, landslides and avalanches. Climate change also is impacting the stability of plant, fungal and animal species in these unique environments. These fragile ecosystems are changing quickly which cause challenges to the indigenous communities who rely on them for survival and cultural practices. A regionally based center for the study and understanding of climate change on mountain biology, ecology and its impact on indigenous populations is necessary and urgently required. https://hcsi-nepal.org/home-1 daily 0.75 2020-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594420104909-ECJE5YAKQHHK0IL4RORD/IMG_6357.jpg Home (Copy) - Scientific Impact “The KRC is an ideal base of operations for conducting meteorological/climatological research in Nepal’s Everest Region. It will be an essential addition for investigating mountain weather systems and climate change all over the world.” - Baker Perry, P.hD, Professor of Geography at Appalachian State University https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594940324301-XV84CAUS3SKVOT6YYKI1/IMG_0184.JPG Home (Copy) - Local Impact “I watched how our sacred mountains, glaciers and landscapes in the Khumbu and on Everest drastically changed in my lifetime. The KRC offers new opportunities for education, training, and employment, so my Sherpa community can partner with scientists in understanding how climate change is impacting our homeland.” - Sonam Jangbu Sherpa, KRC Co-founder https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592854174684-67V7PUPVMIBTSV8UJXYT/L8749074.jpg Home (Copy) Route Finding -- Photo By: Eric Wong https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592584980843-YDFDU3DFN9ER3V4HZ3B8/thumb_IMG_6858_1024.jpg Home (Copy) Tenzing Norgay -- Photo By: Noam Argov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328808608-XBF8NVDE0C9IZ76XTMU1/Waldheimia+glabra_AmaDablamBC_20170830_ElizabethByers+%28140%29cr.jpg Home (Copy) Waldheimia glabra -- Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594408071113-QFLNHCWTM4QKLG7YDC6D/Danphe+1.JPG Home (Copy) Danphe Bird -- Photo By: Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328366144-HJZ3UI9774I4UAWWRJ6J/Abies+spectabilis_MongLa-PhortseTenga_20170808_ElizabethByers+%28176%29.JPG Home (Copy) Abies spectabilis -- Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594950207015-4FJRYVIV6L9NA5RPT313/Tahr.JPG Home (Copy) Tahr dingboche -- Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328383345-P62WU75NYS7Z23YBN6CB/Primula+primulina_Langmale_20140805_ElizabethByers+%2812%29.png Home (Copy) Primula primulina -- Photo by: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592854188105-VI74EBFLOX61B09ASWWY/L8749050.jpg Home (Copy) Geological Survey -- Photo By: Eric Wong https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595028369770-2VPSOYW3KQ3CWC2F93DJ/Local+with+a+lichen+%40+Shiva+Devkota.JPG Home (Copy) Khumbu Local with a Lichen -- Photo By: Shiva Devkota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328803022-VCWWOPN70544AG0SZZ6R/Tibetan+snowcock_IslandPeakBaseCamp_20160612_ElizabethByers+%281%29.JPG Home (Copy) Tibetan snowcock -- Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593194129468-Q4O84QCV7GRD1BHSLZQZ/IMG_6355.JPG Home (Copy) Everest Weather Station -- Photo By: Baker Perry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328411156-VFRXOOSO5WFCWNVX2XQT/Rhododendron+arboreum_TengbocheHill_20170504_ElizabethByers+%286%29.JPG Home (Copy) Rhododendron arboreum Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593194138365-KIFS2V7Y6C8V0C1RVIXU/IMG_6293.JPG Home (Copy) Everest Weather Station -- Photo By: Baker Perry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595028486014-96UYNKDE2JDGFGZH24UK/Local+with+a+mushroom+%40+Shiva+Devkota.JPG Home (Copy) Khumbu Local with a Mushroom -- Photo By: Shiva Devkota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593328410021-V2TB3YA34VUB2AQ2K5PO/Saussurea+simpsoniana_KalaPattar_20170823_ElizabethByers+%2833%29.JPG Home (Copy) Saussurea simpsoniana -- Photo By: Elizabeth Byers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594950434068-9AKAPLG1MCU8CLUU1ZYR/IMG_6298.JPG Home (Copy) Prayer Flags -- Photo By: Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594950267517-R7TT2NVCJQP1TL9MU701/IMG_0817.JPG Home (Copy) Puja -- Photo By: Steve Mock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595027259750-H020CJF8CFRTBT365ADR/Chlorociboria+aeruginascens+%40+Shiva+Devkota.JPG Home (Copy) Chlorociboria aeruginascens -- Photo By: Shiva Devkota https://hcsi-nepal.org/the-team daily 0.75 2020-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019424894-4T4PDXWEEABHGGTYA9TR/D6AEE6B3-E988-4CC6-991B-69BAE559EBB3.jpg The Team (Copy) - Sonam Jangbu Sherpa Sonam Jangbu Sherpa is a co-founder of KRC and head of the KRC Phorste Village Committee. Sonam’s family has lived in Phortse for as long as anyone can remember. His family owns property within Phortse which they have used for farming. Sonam and his family are donating the land which will house the KRC. Sonam is a graduate of the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, Varanasi, India and is a licensed high-altitude mountain guide with multiple Everest summits. A student of Tibetan Buddhism, Sonam has studied at the Dongag Thekchhok Chholing Gomba under the direction of the Tengboche Lama. He is the Director of Operations/Nepal for International Mountain Trekking, Inc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019461127-O2R4A2BT5X1OWOO0B8MV/IN-ARTICLE-IMAGE-Steve-Mock.jpg The Team (Copy) - Steve Mock, Ph.D Steve Mock is the Chair of the KRC Science Advisory Board. He is an Emeritus Professor of Chemistry in the Environmental Sciences Department at The University of Montana Western, where he taught for 28 years. He earned a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. During his teaching career, Steve’s research focused on environmental aquatic chemistry. He also served for several years as Dean of Arts and Sciences and was the Director for a Department of Education grant to run a pilot block scheduling project. While at UMW, Steve taught climbing and other outdoor classes, and went on to become Co-Director and instructor of the Khumbu Climbing Center in Phortse, Nepal, from 2011-2019. Steve remains on the board of the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation. and is currently the President of Denali Rescue Volunteers, a small nonprofit that supports volunteer climbing rangers on Denali where Steve was a four-time volunteer ranger. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595110511369-Z09ZQU14L26X6IK4QKRW/Shiva.jpg The Team (Copy) - Shiva Devkota, Ph.D Shiva Devkota is the KRC Science Director. He is a research scientist at Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Nepal, an institute managed by Ph.D returnees from abroad to boost scientific impact in Nepal. Currently, he is leading a project entitled “Digitization of Mycological Collections in Nepal” funded by Global Biodiversity Information Facility / Biodiversity Information Fund for Asia (GBIF/BIFA) and also contributing as a research fellow of the IPBES Assessment of Sustainable Use of Wild Species. He received his M.Sc degree in Botany (Major Mycology) and M.A, in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Ph.D. degree in Ecology and Evolution in 2017 from Bern University and Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland. Apart from his expertise in projects development and multi-pronged national/international partnership, his main research interest is to understand the ecology, sociology and conservation genetics of wild mushrooms, caterpillar fungus, lichens, and plants in the Himalayas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595110362830-M59K95U6DQX2MNHVH0H7/Bio%252BPhoto.jpg The Team (Copy) - Charles Bedford Charles Bedford is KRC’s Strategic Planning Consultant. He is also the Principal in Keelback Consulting, a Hong Kong-based consultancy focused on sustainability, natural resource management and philanthropy. Clients include non-profits, private equity firms, and timber and fisheries companies. He recently stepped down from his role as Regional Managing Director for The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Asia Pacific Region. Charles worked closely with TNC country program leaders across Asia, the Pacific Islands and Australia to identify and advance essential marine, freshwater and land conservation priorities and projects. He also worked with the region’s business and government leadership on next-generation conservation solutions that benefit both nature and people. Prior to joining TNC, Charles served as director of the Colorado State Land Board, overseer of 3 million hectares of state lands, was Legal Counsel to Colorado Governor Roy Romer and practiced law with the firm of Kutak Rock. He graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and holds a JD from the University of Colorado School of Law. He is the author of journal articles, blogs and a book on land tenure and conservation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019964198-QQQSDE8K7PDMZIQY3ZK0/IMG_0527.jpg The Team (Copy) - Rick Silber Rick Silber is Executive Director and co-founder of the KRC. He is a litigation attorney in Washington, D.C., specializing in medical malpractice and personal injury law. A former trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Rick started his own law firm in 1992. Outside of law, Rick holds a passion for recreation in the outdoors. His climbs include Mt. Washington and Mt. Adams (winter ascents)in New Hampshire, Mt. Whitney in California, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Breithorn, the Munch and Pollux in the Alps, ranges in Alaska, Lobuche and Mera Peaks in Nepal. Today, Rick is Executive Director of International Mountain Trekking, Inc., providing guided treks in Nepal’s Everest region. He is also a member of the Board of the Directors of the Mycological Association of Washington, D.C. Rick is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire Law School and Beloit College where he majored in Biology. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592850494171-KCNE2RRA6I195DAQ77MP/photo-ananta-prasad-gajurel.jpg The Team (Copy) Anata Prasad Gajurel, Ph.D - Tribhuvan University, Nepal -Geology/Tectonics/Geochemistry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595029381746-49M4QIOVZ6EUGZR3L7K6/israel_brian+%281%29.jpg The Team (Copy) Brian D. Israel - Arnold & Porter - Partner and Chair of Environmental Practice Group https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592596588720-4QHLZ6MWV22LW8YYGTUO/Picture2.png The Team (Copy) Andrea Easter-Pilcher, Ph.D - Weber State University - Dean of the College of Science and Professor of Wildlife Biology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595029556177-I18ZWBOEJ8ETPQ2RJXRM/Charles%2BNorchi-0025.jpg The Team (Copy) Charles H. Norchi - University of Maine School of Law - Director, Center for Oceans & Coastal Law https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595029114666-3JQYZUGXENEQX8JSIMLR/MayewskiPaulPhoto.png The Team (Copy) Paul Mayweski, Ph.D - The University of Maine - Director of the Climate Change Institute and Distinguished Professor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1593189834191-UZQA19BIP9814VEHVP04/Perry_Baker_2019.jpg The Team (Copy) Baker Perry, Ph.D - Appalachian State University - Professor in Climatology/Weather/Geography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595029738033-4AXK7GP5U5WSEVICMBW9/about-Richard.original.jpg The Team (Copy) Rick Silber - Executive Director of KRC & Litigation Attorney https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592595830086-KX6KEECI0VWKUVR6FU4U/Picture1.png The Team (Copy) Donal Carbaugh, Ph.D - The University of Massachusetts Amherst - Professor Emeritus in Environmental Communication and Intercultural Interactions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595031371650-EQP5HDZF9C7VYM7ZXGNJ/IN-ARTICLE-IMAGE-Steve-Mock.jpg The Team (Copy) Steve Mock, Ph.D - The University of Montana Western - Emeritus Professor of Chemistry in Environmental Sciences https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592941064806-ADVQ3ZODMYSRQJL1RK72/unnamed.jpg The Team (Copy) Moshe Inbar, Ph.D - University of Haifa, Israel - Animal and Plant Interactions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1594332010826-O7H76UEZZAFOZF546NJJ/unnamed%2B%25286%2529.jpg The Team (Copy) Paul Mayweski, Ph.D - The University of Maine - Director of the Climate Change Institute and Distinguished Professor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592848353968-NIK4AUHFX4OXCY8AWKYB/ROB-FEATURE.jpg The Team (Copy) Rob Thomas, Ph.D - The University of Montana Western - Professor of Geology/Natural Hazards and Regents Professor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595019635375-X2R55LQ8Y3BYCO78KI2E/Shiva+Devkota+SciAdvBoard-17July.JPG The Team (Copy) Shiva Devkota, Ph.D - Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (GIIS), Nepal - Research Scientist in Mycology/Mycoflora Genetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1595026519264-2OJIF5IBAOBD2Z40IQ1K/STEVE-FEATURE.jpg The Team (Copy) Steve Mock, Ph.D - The University of Montana Western - Emeritus Professor of Chemistry in Environmental Sciences https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592849727134-F219EMLHE3Y9AJVPNUQ3/TomMatthews-2022cc.jpg The Team (Copy) Tom Matthews, Ph.D - Loughborough University (UK) - Lecturer in Climate Science https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1592849877541-LDQT2E8RMDJ7Q9RAMYFN/FACULTY-WENDY-R.jpg The Team (Copy) Wendy Ridenour, Ph.D - The University of Montana Western - Ecologist and Associate Professor of Biology https://hcsi-nepal.org/home-2 daily 0.75 2022-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/fb41d7db-4fb2-46ab-869b-0d91c30a18ad/_with+Tom+and+Baker+at+Portse+during+2019+NatGeo+expedition.jpg News - Make it stand out HCSI’s Arbindra Khadka, Baker Perry, and Tom Matthews in front of the automatic weather station installed in Phortse, Nepal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1626373221038-Y161B5NSC2EN4A20QBDZ/Manaslu+%286%29.jpeg News https://hcsi-nepal.org/2021-year-in-review daily 0.75 2022-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/363a6546-eeff-4b09-b035-8bcf6b918f16/HCSI+Futura+Full+2.png The Year in Review: 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/746e4005-ac20-4c20-b685-2ccbda59102d/AdobeStock_41589707.jpeg The Year in Review: 2021 - Make it stand out The Gokyo Lakes, with Mt. Everest in the background, in Sagarmatha National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/bbb68196-dc98-449d-a3ce-fb40669d8110/Interaction+with+survivors+HCSI.jpg The Year in Review: 2021 - Make it stand out Science Advisory Board co-chair Dr. Shiva Devkota educating a community on mushroom poisonings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/ad9633c0-2be5-4874-873c-8d67dbbcac20/_Mass+Balance+work+at+Pokalde+glacier+during+Dec+2020.JPG The Year in Review: 2021 - Make it stand out HCSI SAB member Arbindra Khadka measuring Mera Glacier’s mass balance on an ICIMOD expedition. https://hcsi-nepal.org/mushroom-poisoning-prevention daily 0.75 2024-03-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/e3ae6bdc-f59a-4ca6-b08c-08dfb1a0c02c/865fa4d88a794ddb815b0f05abd21e39.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/3c92bf22-39ea-4954-a389-f3863c4a3891/1960cc1adb424b1d81cfe960d5ecb718.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/b0055be0-51d1-4f70-9aa6-ccbd33bdd984/HCSI+Mushroom+Poisoning+Concept+Note+2022.12.pptx.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/be927d89-131e-4355-a070-a6ce835c47dd/HCSI+Mushroom+Poisoning+Concept+Note+2022.12.pptx.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/3bff1f52-f668-4c3e-a6e6-924e66ee7515/IMG_2387.jpeg Mushroom Poisoning Prevention https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1e0884c0-0278-4568-b550-2443fd078e50/With+much+poisoning+prone+communities+%281%29.jpeg Mushroom Poisoning Prevention https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/6f556010-2adb-4ec6-92df-d394b0c6d1f9/With+much+poisoning+prone+communities+%285%29.jpg Mushroom Poisoning Prevention https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/1d602eb7-2bb8-472c-a5e2-6a949fc83012/Posters+ready+to+distribute.jpg Mushroom Poisoning Prevention https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eeccbee528ff8401095e3e5/866f960a-93fb-4334-8cbf-1c9d9ef04654/IMG_2437.jpeg Mushroom Poisoning Prevention