Photo Gallery

Plateau Perspectives works in conservation and community development in the Tibetan Plateau region, with an initial focus on several grassland counties of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. These remote, high-altitude counties encompass the source areas (or headwaters) of the Yangtze, Mekong and Yellow Rivers.

Plateau Perspectives has made several exploratory trips to Qumalai County over the past few years (e.g., to Qumahe township in November 2001 and October 2007, and to Maduo township in October 2006) with a focus on community-based conservation, community health, and rural education; assistance in all three areas of work already has been given to one remote community, Cuochi village, with special focus on the development of its rural clinic and continuing professional development of its medical staff. Plateau Perspectives also made several exploratory trips to Zaduo County at the invitation of the county government (in October 2006 and April 2007), including Zhaqing, Chadan and Moyun townships; this was followed by several projects being undertaken in 2007 such as collaboration with the county health bureau to establish three village clinics and a training workshops for village doctors and midwifes. The longest-term conservation and development work we have undertaken, however, has been in Zhiduo County (Figure 1) where we have worked in cooperation with county and township governments, local communities and local organizations since 1998, and with the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve since 2005. Figure 2 shows the location of Plateau Perspectives' 10 current community projects.

Plateau Perspectives also continues to assist other organizations working in the Tibetan Plateau region, primarily in the form of consultancies, for various projects operating in Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, and Tibet Autonomous Region. 

Figure 1. Map of Zhiduo County in the Tibetan plateau region

(Click here to view a larger map of the region)

Figure 2. Map of Qumalai, Zhiduo and Zaduo counties in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture

(Click here to view a larger map of the region)

For a description of the broader geographic, environmental and socio-cultural region, also see the following links. (Automated translation is available at http://babelfish.altavista.com).

People's Republic of China, including:

Xinjiang, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet and other provinces

The Tibetan Plateau

Qinghai Province, and clickable map of Qinghai Province

Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture:

Zaduo, Zhiduo, Qumalai, Chengduo, Yushu and Nangqian

Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (official Chinese website)

Description of all 40 counties of Qinghai Province (Chinese only)

The Sanjiangyuan region's three major rivers: Yangtze River (PDF; map), Yellow River (PDF; map), Mekong River (PDF; map)

Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve (SNNR)