This book describes the myriad components of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region. The contributors elaborate on challenges, failures, and successes in efforts to conserve the HKH, its indigenous plants and animals, and the watershed that runs from the very roof of the planet via world-rivers to marine estuaries, supporting a human population of some two billion people. Readers will learn how the landforms, animal species and humans of this globally fascinating region are connected, and understand why runoff from snow and ice in the world's tallest mountains is vital to inhabitants far downstream.

Preface.- Part 1 Landscapes.- Mountain Landscapes and Watersheds of the Hindu-Kush Himalaya (HKH) and their Biogeography: A descriptive overview and introduction for 18 nations in the Anthropocene.- HKH in the global and climate context: Major weather systems, monsoon, Asian Brown Cloud (ABC) and global connections.- From the mountains and glaciers down to the rivers to the estuaries and oceans: A tale of 18 rivers.- HKH in the global and marine context: Major estuaries, 2 billion people and global food security.- A view from space on Poyang Lake: What we can already see and what it means.- Poyang Lake: A local view downstream from the Hindu Kush Himalaya. The Future of Biodiversity in the Changing Watersheds of Kashmir Himalaya, Pakistan: Conservation Challenges and Opportunities.- Towards a Landscape Perspective of Diseases in Plants: An Overview and Review of a Critical but Overlooked Ecology Issue in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region.- Change of Hindu Kush Himalaya region throughphoto monitoring.- Paper parks in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.- Forestry Management in Nepal: An example and a review of growth & yield.- Part 2 Concepts, Cultures, Religions and the Mind.- What it is like to be a land-locked nation: Examples from Nepal and Bhutan.- Ethnobiology and indigenous regimes in the conservation of species, watersheds, and landscapes: Experiences and evidences from the Hindu Kush-Himalayan nations for a global application.- Spirituality beats it all: A quick overview, self-organization and great value of (indigenous) religions: 2,000 years later.- The terror of your mind: Fear, Anxiety, inherent Chaos and Self-doubt in Himalaya expeditions and research.- Part 3 Real-world Policy, Conservation Management of Wildlife, Habitat, and Biodiversity Data.- The relevance and role of Mid-elevation for conservation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: A Nepal example.- Nature and landscape governance in royal times: Experiences from the Shah and Rana regimes in Nepal re-assembled from literature and interview data.- Urban Ecology in shops and housing: An example of culture, religion and how (nesting) Barn Swallows, House and Tree Swallows create for a lively human-wildlife link at the commercial interface.- Pallas's Cat in Annapurna, Nepal: What we know thus far and what is to come.- Status of otters in Nepal: A link with ancient waterways and people.- Wildlife Diplomacy and Gifting in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region: A chronological history and opinion of Nepalese literates.- Birds of Nepal: their status and conservation especially with regards to watershed perspectives.- A governance analysis of the snow leopard, its habitat and data: Who owns charismatic animals and who drives and uses the agenda for what?- The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP): Towards a success story in landscape feature and watershed conservation management.- The forgotten species and their data: Museums in Nepal and examples.- A rather short story of the GIS data layers in HKH.- A pollination, insect and IUCN view: Ecological Services matter the most.- Sarus Cranes and Stork species hotspots from geo-referenced rapid assessments in Lumbini: Holy species and religious attitudes drive entire ecological communities and services for the benefit of a nation.- Part 4 Very Serious Problems in the HKH nations.- A 'global change' eulogy, sermons and obituaries: Everest, the models, the reality, the governmental mis-behavior, associated institutional terror and the global abuse of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region.- The gods are angry: A first-hand account and an experience of the earthquake in hindsight.- Hydrodams: Death by over 500 cuts and blockages virtually build without Impact Assessment.- Hydrodams again: Lost Dolphins, expensive Gharials, cut Fish migration, and energy for non-sustainable mining and societies abroad fueling non-democratric governance and industry.- Persistent evidence for a dramatic decline in Langurs in Nepal, and likely elsewhere, too.- SnowLeopards in 2100?- The fate of the great woodpeckers and hornbills in Nepal: No big trees, no life.- Poaching and illegal Trade of Wildlife: What do the media say for the Nepali-Chinese and Nepali-Indian border?- Looking at Road and Railroad Development Data in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya: Rock-solid impacts created by Globalization, The World Bank and its affiliates, as well as by the Great Himalaya Trail.- Why do some many Nepalis, medical doctors, CEOs and Hedge Fund Managers get sick or die on Everest (Sagarmatha, Chomolungma) ? A review and indicators that capitalism went awful while searching human dignity and itself.- Part 5 A fresh look and successful templates for HKH: Business as usual is dead.- Small and effective NGOs as a role model for bigger success: The Global Primate Network (now 'Third Pole Conservancy').- When Micro drives the Macro: A fresh look at disease and their massive contributions in the Himalaya.- What Mining has in stock down river for Mongolia and beyond: A personal assessment of watersheds and rivers.- Good Citizen Science experience downstream of Everest: The Koshi Birding Club.- Citizen Science experience: Green Youth Club promoting Cranes in Lumbini region.- When governments cannot do it anymore and capitalism, neoliberal policies and globalization get imposed without democracy: Self-organization beyond E. Ostrom.- Quo Vadis the Hindu Kush-Himalaya Realistic Sustainable Development horror scenarios while climate change, human increase and global conservation decay rise further?- Index.