Abstract
The Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is not only the world's highest mountain region, but also the most populous, covering some 3,500 km² over eight countries from Pakistan in the west to Mynamar in the east. It sustains approximately 140 million people and affects the lives of more than three times as many in the plains and river basins below. The HKH region is a vast storehouse of hydropower, timber, firewood, medicinal plants, rich minerals and last, but not least, water. The specific and verifiable objectives of the ASSESS-HKH Project are: 1. Develop and validate a three-tier methodology to identify environmental hot spots in rivers of the HKH region. For incrementally complex ecological assessment using benthic invertebrates from a manually calculated overview method to computer-aided detail analyses of selected regions or sites. 2. Adapt and further develop an information management tool (application software and databases) to perform analysis calculations for quantification and rating of eco-logical status of rivers based on biotic data. 3. To interpret ecological data collected in the HKH region to validate the assessment methodology and information management tool and provide a basis for policy rec-ommendation, transnational water resource planning and ecosystem management. 4. Capacity Building of local scientists in the field of recognition and application of criteria for biological indicators in ecosystem management. 5. Dissemination and awareness creation on the importance and usefulness of biologi-cal indicators in ecosystem management. The ASSESS-HKH Project addresses research priority A.2.1. (managing humid and semi-humid ecosystems), which is part of the chapter 10.3.1.A of the specific measures in support of international co-operation in developing countries. '
Europe