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Inle Lake joins UN list of biosphere sites

In a first for Myanmar, Inle Lake has been selected as one of 20 new sites added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Forestry department officials are hoping that the decision will result in both improvements to the environment and a fresh influx of visitors to the site, one of the country’s prime tourist destinations.
The long-awaited decision was taken by the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) in Paris on June 9.

Man and the Biosphere is an intergovernmental scientific program set up by UNESCO in the early 1970s to improve the interaction between people and their natural environment, on a global scale. Biosphere reserves are places for learning about sustainable development that reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with the sustainable use of natural resources. New reserves are designated each year.
There are now 651 such sites in 120 countries, of which Inle Lake is the first to be designated in Myanmar.

U Win Naing Thaw, director of the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry’s Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division, attended the Paris meeting as part of a five-member delegation. He said 26 proposals had been submitted by 19 countries.

“The meeting announced its congratulations to Myanmar for having its first biosphere reserve,” he said by email yesterday.

UNESCO said the Inle Lake biosphere reserve covered a total of 489,721 hectares. The wetland ecosystem of the freshwater lake is home to 267 species of birds – of which 82 are wetland birds – 43 species of freshwater fishes, otters and turtles. Diverse flora and fauna species are recorded and the lake is reported to be the nesting place for the globally endangered Sarus crane (Grus antigone).

In addition to its ecological importance, Inle Lake is also unique for the way the local inhabitants have adapted their lifestyle to their environment. Farmers from one of the dominant ethnic groups in the region, the Intha, practice floating island agriculture, locally called ye chan. Inle Lake and its watershed provide several ecosystem services on which local people depend, including clean air, clean water, a cooler climate, fish stocks and other resources.

UNESCO’s Myanmar office said yesterday that the nomination of the Inle Lake region had received wide support from the Union government, the Shan State government, local communities, NGOs, university representatives, youth groups and the private sector.

It also said UNESCO had been providing technical support to the government, in close collaboration with the UNDP and the environment ministry, with generous support from the government of Norway, to designate the Inle lake region as the first biosphere reserve of Myanmar.

Ministry director general U Nyi Nyi Kyaw told a press conference last month that designation in the Man and Biosphere project would help long-term development, conserve varieties of species and cultures, and aid research into the connections between humans and the environment.

Now it is hoped that Myanmar will receive assistance in conservation techniques as well as possible financial support, said U Naing Zaw Tun of the Forest Department. “If the lake is identified as a world-standard heritage site, it will also stimulate tourism,” he added.

The coveted designation comes amid expert warnings that the lake could disappear, as climate change and pollution take their toll. The lake now covers only half its previous extent, as deforestation and silting have shrunk its surface from 134 square miles to 63.

Senior program adviser Igor Bosc of the UNDP, which is working with the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry on an Inle Lake conservation and rehabilitation project, told The Myanmar Times in an interview last June that a major program of public awareness-raising was required.

“The water level has decreased a lot over the past 70 years, while the amount of silt has risen higher and higher. If the lake community continues as usual, the lake could disappear within a century. We need to do more,” he said.

Source : MMTime

Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma
Inle Lake Myanmar Burma

Inle

Inle Lake – A Picturesque Natural Lake

Inle Lake Myanmar BurmaInle Lake is in the middle of the southern part of Shan Plateau in eastern Myanmar. Covering 12,000 hectares (22 km long and 11 km wide), Inle Lake – a picturesque natural lake is the second largest natural lake in the country. Located 900m above sea level and surrounded by mountains, it has a comfortable temperature throughout the year. It is an ideal destination for travelers for its idyllic tranquility, waterfront villages, its market and its gardens on the water – a perfect place for a stopover of a few days during a stay in Burma.

This picturesque natural lake is inhabited by Inthas that have adapted to their environment by building entire villages on stilts. It is a true lakeside jewel nestled in the heart of the mysterious mountains of the Shan plateau. You can conquer the lake in a canoe that will transport you to unsuspected landscapes with stilt houses, pagodas, floating gardens that undulate to the rhythm of the currents.

You will not get tired of admiring the lake in the early morning, with its blue opal water and the mountains that surround it. Silent fishermen as graceful as dancers add a touch of magic to this extraordinary picture. Every moment of the day is worth seeing; the landscape changes color and the sky is reflected in the lake, real mirror. In the morning, when the fog is very dense, the lake becomes mysterious. At noon, the light changes and this is another setting. The sky is pure blue and the lake surface reflects the color of the sky. In the evening when the sun disappears, the hills turn pink, the lake beams with golden highlights, fog comes back. This is not the lake that sparkles but the garlands of pagodas and the lights of the houses.

Intha fishermen

Inle Lake Myanmar BurmaThe waters of Inle Lake are rich in fish and fishing is a major activity. The Inthas fishermen have a special technique to fish: as they move in boats they are maneuvering in a unique way in the world, standing on one leg on the back of their boat, they scull with a single oar around which they roll up the other leg. They catch fish using a conical trap they pose on the mud bottom. The elegance of their movements made the fishermen of Inle Lake one of the most enduring images.

Floating gardens

At the lake surface, we see the floating gardens, which cover a quarter of the lake area. The Inthas have a special way to organize their gardens on the lake waters that rise and fall with the tides. Vegetable rely on a delicate carpet made of mud, water hyacinth and other plants. This assembly is secured with bamboo stakes driven into the water. The Inthas mainly grow tomatoes which are very popular, squash, cucumbers, potatoes and flowers that are sold in all markets of the country during the eight months of production.

Craft workshops

Inle Lake Myanmar BurmaOne of interesting aspects of Inle Lake is the visits to craft workshops. Stop at Inpawkhone village to see the Intha’s traditional weaving method, especially the weaving of stems of lotus to make the unique fabric in the world. See how the colorful umbrella are made from tree bark, how cheroot- traditonal Burmese cigar are made by hand.

Religious sites

The surroundings of Inle Lake are also dotted with archaeological and architectural wonders. As everywhere in Burma, we find here several pagodas and Buddhist monasteries plus the remarkable ruins in the villages of Sagar and Indein. Phaung Daw Oo is the main sanctury in this area, which houses five sacred Buddha image covered in gold leaf. Nga Phe Kyaung (or Jumping Cat Monatery), a wooden monastery built on stilts, also draws many attractions.

‘5-day’ market

Inle Lake Myanmar BurmaFurthermore, travelers are attracted by the markets that take place every fifth day in a different village near the lake. This is an opportunity to meet with Shan, Pa-O, the TaungYo, of Danu, the Kayah and Danaw exchanging their products, a colorful spectacle that you will not forget.

How to get there

The most convenient way to travel to Inle is by airplane, we landed at Heho Airport. You must then travel 35 km (about 45 minutes) on a mountain road to reach the village of Nyaungshwe, the gateway to Inle Lake.

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