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Waterfall nature
a cUltUral
and BirdinG
triP to BhUtan
(Part 1)
With its astonishingly Old Timer (DS)
significant forest cover, By Ron Searle, Photography by Merl & Marty Arnot, David Shackelford and Ron Searle
the Royal Government’s nown as ‘Land of the Thunder Tibetan Plateau is the northern border
commitment to both k Dragon’, Bhutan, a land-locked of the country, an area above the
monarchy located in the
tree-line, largely inaccessible and
the environment Eastern Himalayas – bordered accordingly unexplored and pristine.
to the north by Tibet, the Indian
and sustainable states of West Bengal and Assam to The wide range in altitude and
the south, Arunachal Pradesh to the topography produces an equally
development, plus east and Sikkim to the west – is a great range of climatic conditions
destination like no other, boasting responsible for the very considerable
the largely Buddhist breath-taking mountain scenery and forest coverage. Three climatic zones
population’s deeply vast forests covering 71% of the total have been identified, viz: sub-tropical
180 – 1 800m characterised by steep
land area of 46 620km². Apart from a
ingrained respect for few narrow strips of the Indian plains slopes and broad-leaved forest (both
which penetrate the southern borders warm and cool); mid-montane 1 800
nature, Bhutan is in many of Bhutan, the country is completely – 3 500m with coniferous forests
mountainous with steep slopes and (Chir and Blue Pine, Spruce, Hemlock
ways an ideal model for altitudes ranging from 180m to 7 550m and Fir); and alpine > 3 500m with
above sea level. The main Himalayan tundra vegetation, alpine meadows,
conservation. chain on the southern edge of the snow-covered peaks and glaciers.
32 Waterfall Issue 8 2020
