Living memorial for visionary conservationist and friend of Sir Ed Hillary
03.10.2007
Sir Edmund Hillary is amongst a group of New Zealand's foremost conservationists launching a living memorial fund for Mingma Norbu Sherpa, a visionary conservation leader from Nepal, to foster a new generation of conservation leaders who will protect the Himalayas rich natural heritage.
Mingma was amongst seven WWF staff members who died in a tragic helicopter crash in the mountains of far-east Nepal one year ago. His untimely death was a great loss to Nepal and to the world of conservation. Many New Zealanders have expressed their sorrow at the collective losses for Mingma and for other WWF staff and partners who lost their lives that day.
Mingma was WWF’s Managing Director of the Eastern Himalayas Programme and dedicated much of his life to protecting the natural environment of the region. He and his WWF colleagues had just participated in a ceremony handing over the management of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area to local communities – a major milestone achieved after years of work to protect this area of outstanding natural beauty – when the helicopter crashed killing all 24 passengers on board.
New Zealand’s conservation and mountaineering community held Mingma in high regard as a person who was pivotal to conserving natural habitats and wildlife in the Eastern Himalayas region. Their deep sorrow at his death led to their strong desire to honour his memory by establishing a fund as a living memorial which would recognise the tremendous loss of leadership.
The Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Fund was launched on Sunday, 23 September 2007, the first anniversary of Mingma’s death. The fund has been set up to give young conservation leaders from Nepal the opportunity to follow in Mingma’s footsteps and continue his life’s work, funding their post-graduate studies of conservation management at Lincoln University – where Mingma studied after attending one of Sir Edmund Hillary’s first schools in Nepal. The fund will create a new generation of conservation leaders to take on the many challenges facing Nepal in preserving its rich natural heritage.
Speaking on the eve of the anniversary of Mingma’s death, Sir Edmund Hillary said: “As we approach the anniversary of the accident, we are determined to make the Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Fund a reality, and we are seeking support to establish the fund so that the first scholarship can be awarded this year. This will help ensure that Mingma’s inspirational leadership of conservation management in Nepal continues. It will also celebrate Mingma’s life, his work and the special bond he helped create between his beloved Nepal and New Zealand.”
Jo Breese, immediate past Chief Executive of WWF-New Zealand, close friend of Mingma’s and chair of the Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Fund said: “Mingma was an inspiring conservationist and a very special person. In his time with us, his contribution to the natural environment and to people was remarkable. We all feel his loss deeply.”
Lincoln University has generously committed to contributing post-graduate fees scholarship for up to ten years from 2008 and the Himalayan Trust are making two airfares available in the first year.
Commenting on their support of the fund, David Simmons, Professor of Tourism at Lincoln University said: “Mingma was one of our most successful nepali students, and a great role model. The University is keen to support his legacy through the development of future leaders to address the ongoing challenges of nature conservation and community development in Nepal”.
The steering group of the Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Fund is seeking donations to reach its $450,000 target. It will be held by WWF-New Zealand as an endowment fund which will yield sufficient funds to support a student annually in perpetuity. The fund will be administered by a small steering group including Dave Bamford, Director of Toursim Resource Consultants, Bruce Jefferies of IUCN/World Commission Protected Areas (WCPA), David Simmonds, Professor of Tourism at Lincoln University, Lisa Choegyal (Nepal) and Chris Howe, Executive Director of WWF-New Zealand, along with chair of the fund, Jo Breese.
Jo concludes: “The fund is very special. It is our way of honouring Mingma’s memory, continuing his life’s work, in a new generation of conservationists. Mingma was such a strong link in the special bond that New Zealand has with Nepal, that began with Sir Edmund’s relationship with the sherpa people. The fund will strengthen this bond. Conservation leaders like Mingma are at the heart of every step forward in conserving the natural world. He was devoted to his people and their conservation of the Himalayan region, and was passionate about the development of young conservationsits On behalf of the Mingma Norbu Sherpa memorial fund I would urge New Zealanders who care about the future of the planet to contribute to the fund.”
People who would like to contribute to the Mingma Norbu Sherpa Living Memorial Fund can make their donation by calling WWF-New Zealand on 0800 4357 993 or by donating online at http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/MingmaNorbuSherpa
ENDS
About Mingma Norbu Sherpa
Managing Director, WWF Eastern Himalayas
Born in 1955 in the Sherpa village of Khunde, in the Everest region of Nepal, Mingma was one of the first students to graduate from the Hillary Khumjung School - the first of many schools developed for Sherpa children with the assistance of Sir Edmund Hillary, famed conqueror of Mt. Everest. With further support from the Hillary Foundation, Mingma went on to receive a diploma in Parks and Recreation from Lincoln College, University of Canterbury in New Zealand in 1980 and a Masters degree in Natural Resources Management from the University of Manitoba in 1985.
Between his studies abroad, Mingma returned to Nepal and worked as a park warden for Sagarmatha National Park, home to Mount Everest. He was the first Sherpa to have served as Warden of Sagarmatha after Sir Edmund Hillary helped establish the park in 1976.
When he returned again to Nepal in 1985, Mingma became very involved in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), initially as a principle investigator for the feasibility study of the Annapurna area, and later as the director of the project itself.
Among his many achievements, Mingma was a Fulbright Scholar in 1987 at the School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan, to develop a strategy for environmental education in the ACAP. Additionally, he was a recipient of the Gorkha Dhaksin Bhahu medal from His Majesty the King of Nepal for his conservation work in Nepal. Mingma has also been awarded the Order of the Golden Ark Award from His Royal Highness Prince Bernard of the Netherlands for his conservation achievement in the Himalayas.
Key to Mingma's ability to achieve remarkable results was his consistent return to the values and philosophies of Sir Edmund Hillary. He adopted and applied Hillary's approach in Bhutan, and focused his work on extending this method of thinking throughout the Eastern Himalayas. Sir Hillary and Mingma shared the same belief that without the support of the local people, we cannot protect the natural heritage of his homeland.