News and events

Save the Date: October 25th, 2007

Check out Spruce Knob's new Blog! (Click Here)

Read all about what is going on up on our Spruce Knob Mountain Center in West Virginia.

The China Program's Request for Sub-Grant Applications (For Chinese documents click here)

The Mountain Institute’s (TMI) China Program is seeking sub-grant applications (proposals for assistance funding) from local tour operators in Shangri-la, Yunnan Province, to implement activities in support of TMI’s economic development program.  The recipients will be responsible for ensuring achievement of the following major program objectives:

• To build the capacity of rural enterprises engaged in village-based ecotourism-related activities; and
• To ensure commitment by local tour operators to provide long-term market access for village enterprises.

This request for applications is open to local Shangri-la tour operators engaged in ecologically and culturally responsible tourism in rural village communities. 

Sub-grants of up to 77,000 RMB ($10,000 US) will be awarded individually to local tour operators working with village-based tourism-related enterprises.  These grants must be paired with significant in-kind and financial contributions by the tour operators. TMI reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

For more information, please contact the Enterprise Development Program in Yunnan Province (see contact information below).  Click the following link for the complete Request For Applications description, application cover sheet, and budget template:

RFA For Shangri-la Tour Operators – China
Application Cover Sheet
Budget Template

Jill Majerus
Team Leader, Enterprise Development Unit
Action For Enterprise with
The Mountain Institute
Enterprise Development Unit
jmajerus@actionforenterprise.org

Jessie Feng
Enterprise Development Officer
The Mountain Institute
jessiefeng@mountain.org

Yunnan Office: 0887 823 0755

Thank you from the Underwood Family

We would like to thank everyone who helped out, sent cards or brought food during Jim’s illness and passing.  We are very grateful for the outpouring of love and support from our friends, family and community. If we have missed personal thanks to anyone we apologize. It has been a great comfort and privilege to receive so much sympathy, understanding and practical help from so many people. 

Jim was deeply moved by the many expressions of love and concern from his friends and acquaintances, the enthusiasm of the volunteers who helped on the stone house and by Jeff Shaw’s ability to assume responsibility for the project. We would especially like to thank the staff of Mountain Hospice, the Mountain Institute and the volunteers of the Pendleton County Rescue Squad.

A Memorial Service for Jim will be held Saturday, June 23, 2007 at the Mountain Institute Spruce Knob campus, at 4:00 PM.  Those wishing to view the Caring Bridge journal and guestbook entries may go to www.mountain.org/underwood.cfm.

                                                                                    Sincerely,
                                                                                    Janet Underwood
                                                                                    Yar and Jenna Underwood

Summer Wildflowers, a Tibetan Horse Festival, and A Trip to Benefit TMI's Peak Enterprise Program in Yunnan

An Exclusive Opportunity with New and Old Friends of TMI
Trip Dates: June 8 to 21, 2007
Space is limited. Please make your reservation now.

June 8 - 21, 2007 – This trip offers an extraordinary opportunity to experience Yunnan, the original “Shangrila,” with TMI and long-time friends Wendy and Karma Lama of KarmaQuest, who together bring decades of experience working in the Tibetan parts of China and an extensive network of contacts. A botanist will point out a myriad of summer wildflowers; and Tibetan guides will introduce the rich culture, highlighted by thriving Buddhist monasteries and a marvelous horse-racing festival. You will visit TMI's and other NGOs’ projects for an in-depth look at development opportunities and challenges, accompanied by TMI staff and international experts. Your donation will benefit TMI’s conservation and community development program in Yunnan. Click here to make your reservation. You may also view a detailed itinerary here. Visit www.KarmaQuests.com to learn more about KarmaQuest Ecotourism and Adventure Travel.

Appalachia Program offers Children's Day Program through Augusta Heritage Center

In cooperation with the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, WV, Appalachia's Mountain Learning Program is offering a week long day camp for the children of Augusta's participants.  The Augusta Heritage Center offers a myriad of traditional arts and music classes that encourage wider understanding and practice of artistic expression found in local, regional, and ethnic traditional folk cultures.  Interested persons should contact the Augusta Heritage Center for a list of all courses available.  The Augusta Heritage Center has something for everyone.

Alpinists and Mountain Conservation

September 13, 2007: TMI is planning a Presentation on the Alpine Conservation Partnership, at the Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT at 6:30pm. Alton Byers, TMI's Director of Research and Education, and Phil Powers, Director of the American Alpine Club, will deliver the presentation with a special guest appearance by Pete Athans, resident athlete of The North Face.

Tourism Cares Grant Awarded to TMI's Sacred Sites Trail Project

March 19, 2007: Tourism Cares' Press Release:

The Mountain Institute, Inc., Kathmandu, Nepal, awarded $10,000: Sacred Sites Trail Project to Promote Sustainable, Community-Based Cultural Preservation Initiatives in the Khumbu Region near Mt. Everest in the Himalayas 
The Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park, Nepals oldest and most visited national park, is a UNESCO World Heritage Park of global, environmental and cultural importance. It is dominated by Mt. Everest, which is the highest peak in the world at 29,028 feet. The Sacred Sites Trail Project seeks to engage the indigenous population of Sherpas and promote sustainable preservation of the historical, cultural and natural sites of the Khumbu region. The Tourism Cares grant will aid this project in creating a new circular trail to encourage tourists to visit less known sacred sites and villages. Click here for more information on TMI's Sacred Sites Trail Project.

Tourism Cares is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity and leading philanthropic organization founded in 1999 with the unique mission to protect and enhance travel and cultural experiences through grants for historic sites, student scholarships for tourisms future workforce, and volunteers for the preservation and restoration of tourism-related sites. For additional information about Tourism Cares, please visit www.tourismcares.org. View the full press release (pdf).

The Heights of Inspiration: Sacred Mountains of the World

March 18, 2007 - 4:30PM - 6:30PM: Edwin Bernbaum, Director, TMI Sacred Mountains Program, presented on Sacred Mountains of the world at the home of TMI Trustee, Bob Reynolds. Click here for the complete invitation.

Presentation at Pangea

March 21, 2007 - 6:30PM - 8:30PM: Jorge Recharte, Director, TMI Andes, presented on projects and partnerships in Peru at Pangea, located at: 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20433.

Click here for the complete invitation.

Wahi Kapu Sculpture Blessing

March 7, 2007 – The blessing and unveiling of a major Wahi Kapu sculpture took place at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.  This is an outdoor sculpture, created by artist John Kalewa Matsushita of Kona, that portrays the Hawaiian concept of wahi kapu (sacred place) as it relates to the volcanoes of Mauna Loa and Kilauea.  The proposal for this sculpture was selected by the Kupuna Committee of Hawaiian elders advising Hawai’ Volcanoes National Park on cultural matters.

The Mountain Institute and Edwin Bernbaum, Director of the Sacred Mountains Program, played a key role in enabling the Park and the Kupuna Committee to put out a call for and commission the Wahi Kapu sculpture.  Dr. Bernbaum spoke, along with the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent, Cynthia L. Orlando, and a Kupuna (Hawaiian elder), Aunty Emma Kauhi. Articles were written on this event in The Honolulu Advertiser and NPS Digest.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival in Washington, DC

February 6-10, 2007 - The Banff Mountain Film Festival is one of the most important events on the annual film festival circuit, offering the best films on mountain environments and mountain cultures. Now in its 31st year, the festival is presented by National Geographic and Dunham Bootmakers. Note: some films contain graphic language. National Geographic is offering free parking for this event.  The phone number for tickets is: 202-857-7700.  Click here for more information.

The American Alpine Club and The Mountain Institute Receive Grant to Launch “Alpine Conservation Partnership”

January, 2007 - The American Alpine Club (AAC) and The Mountain Institute (TMI) announced today a $150,000 award from the Argosy Foundation to expand conservation success in the Everest region to alpine regions worldwide.

“The Alpine Conservation Partnership is the biggest thing the AAC has ever done in the conservation arena,” said AAC member and Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard.  In 2004 the two organizations founded the Everest Alpine Conservation and Restoration Project. Although less than three years old, the Everest program has already established the Khumbu Alpine Conservation Council, the world’s first local NGO devoted to the protection of the alpine ecosystem; saved more that 80,000 kg of fragile shrub juniper per year that was formerly used for fuel-wood; established a kerosene and stove depot as alternative fuel for tourists and lodges; restored a porters’ rest house in Lobuche to provide shelter, warmth, and cooking facilities; developed new education curricula for local schools; and is actively restoring de-vegetated hillsides by building high altitude nurseries and cattle-proof demonstration enclosures.

Click here for the full press release (pdf).

TMI's First Annual Board Meeting in Golden, Colorado

January 20, 2007 - The TMI Board held its first Board meeting of the year, hosted by the American Alpine Club in Golden, Colorado. The two organizations are collaborating on the Alpine Conservation Partnership, a multi-year project with local communities to protect and restore fragile alpine ecosystems around the world.

Mountain Legacy Honors The Mountain Institute's Director of Research and Education

November 15, 2006 - Dr. Alton Byers, Director of Research and Education at TMI, received the Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Legacy Medal for "remarkable service in culture and nature in remote mountainous regions." Click here for TMI's full press release (pdf) or here to view online.

A Celebration of Mountains

October 26, 2006 - The Mountain Institute held its third event to honor individuals, organizations, and companies that make a positive contribution to mountains, mountain people, and mountain cultures. This year’s “A Celebration of Mountains” was held in Washington, DC at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel on the 26 th of October. Three individuals who have made outstanding contributions received TMI awards.  Conrad Anker was honored for Excellence in Mountain Community Service; Stephanie Odegard for Excellence in Sustaining Mountain Livelihoods, and Rick Ridgeway and Patagonia, Inc. for Exemplary Corporate Stewardship of Mountains.   TMI honorees in previous years include David Breashears, Ricardo Espinoza, Peter Hillary and Kopila Rai. Click here for details.

TMI is planning to host its next Celebration of Mountains at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC on October 25th, 2007.

TMI's Spruce Knob Mountain Center in The Inter-Mountain

October, 2006 - Teachers from Midland Elementary School in Elkins, WV describe their 4th graders' experiences on Spruce Knob. Click here for the article printed in The Inter-Mountain, also viewable at: www.theintermountain.com.

Heartfelt Condolences

The Mountain Institute and its staff extend their deep condolences to families of all who lost their lives on the tragic helicopter accident in the Kanchanjunga Conservation Area, Taplejung District on September 23, 2006.

They were great contributors to conservation of Nepal's natural and cultural heritages. We will sorely miss their presence and always remember the contributions they made. We extend our heartfelt condolences to families of Mr. Gopal Rai and his wife Mrs. Meena Rai, Dr. Damodar Parajuli, Mr. Narayan Prasad Paudel, Mr. Sharad Rai; and Dr. Tirtha Man Maskey of the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation; Mr. Mingma Sherpa, Dr. Chandra Gurung, Ms Yeshi Lama, Miss Jenifer Headly, Dr. Jill Bowling, and Mr. Mathew Preece of WWF; Dr. Harka Gurung of New Era; Miss Margaret Alexander and Dr. Bijan Acharya of USAID; Mr. Pauli Mostonen of Finnish Embassy; Mr. Vijaya Shrestha of FNCCI; Mr. Dawa Tsering Sherpa of KCAMC; Mr. Hem Raj Bhandari and Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh of Nepal Television.

We are also saddened by the loss of Captain Mingma Tsering Sherpa, Captain Klim Kim, and Mr. Valery Slafronov; and Mr. Tandu Shrestha of Shree Air.


TMI Participates in the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area

October, 2006 - TMI is proud to be a part of the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area for the second consecutive year. We thank the dedicated organizers of the CFCNCA for making these events possible. Designate The Mountain Institute for your Combined Federal Campaign Contribution. CFC #0830.

(on right) Sarah Davis and Jesus Villeda attend the 2006 CFC kickoff event at the Selective Service System. Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Burke.

TMI's Spruce Knob Mountain Center in the News

August 20, 2006 - TMI's Spruce Knob Mountain Center in West Virginia boasts some of the darkest skies in the eastern US, and astronomers have discovered the site. Click here for an article written by Tara Tuckwiller in The Charleston Gazette.

Photo credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and Scientific Visualization Studio.

News from the Field

Summer, 2006 – See TMI Newsletter NEWS FROM THE F IELD, including articles and information about support for victims of last year’s devastating earthquake in Pakistan; the Qomolangma Project in Tibet; Collaboration with Great Smokey National Park and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee; the Celebration of Mountains Awards Dinner schedule for October 26th in Washington, DC; and much more. Please click here to view the entire newsletter.

Please note corrections to the article entitled “TMI Teams up to Assist Survivors of Pakistan Earthquake”: 130 tents and 1,450 heaters were delivered to victims of the earthquake.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. To make a suggestion, please send an e-mail to: summit@mountain.org.

Khumbu Mandala: Article and New Brochure

A unique project in the Khumbu tries to turn treks into pilgrimages and benefit people outside the tourism loop. Click here for a detailed article by TMI staff members, Sarah Subba and Ang Rita Sherpa. Click here for TMI's updated brochure on Sacred Sites of the Khumbu Region.

Past Events and Photos

TMI is now keeping an archive of past events. Click here to enter our News and Events Archive.

View an Exhibit Celebrating the People and Landscape of the Khumbu Valley, Nepal . Click Here

Community-Based Tourism for Conservation and Development: A Resource Kit

This Resource Kit (available here in PDF format for download) is aimed at field-based professionals who work with communities or organizations to plan for and develop Community-Based Tourism as a tool for achieving conservation and development objectives. The Kit uses a planning and management framework called Appreciative Participatory Planning and Action that combines Appreciative Inquiry and the tools of Participatory Learning and Action. APPA, as it is known, has been developed and piloted by The Mountain Institute, with the objective to find and emphasize the positive, successes and strengths as means to empower communities, groups and organizations to plan and management conservation and development.

Community-Based Conservation and Restoration of the Mt. Everest Alpine Zone

On the 50th anniversary of the climbing of Mt. Everest, the American Alpine Club and TMI's Research and Education Program announced that they will launch a new project to protect and restore alpine ecosystems surrounding the world's highest mountain, heavily disturbed during the past 25 years because of poorly regulated tourism. Read more about this project.

Plants, People, and Biodiversity Protection

The project Plants, People, and Biodiversity Protection is a two-year initiative implemented by The Mountain Institute in partnership with the National Gardening Association (NGA); the College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia; and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Read more.

Learning About Mountains: An On-Line Guide to Resources for Teachers and Kids

We are pleased to announce the exciting launch of a new on-line guide to outstanding teaching resources available for 32 mountain ranges around the world, in 16 languages. "Learning About Mountains"