The biologically and culturally diverse mountain habitats of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) produce numerous ecosystem goods and services of global significance and satisfy the daily sustenance requirements and wellbeing of poor and vulnerable local communities. Most studies of ecosystem services conducted in Nepal have investigated community forest management and protected areas, largely in the lower hills and plains of the country. However, to conserve red pandas and associated biodiversity, knowledge is needed of the services instrumental to the livelihoods and wellbeing of people living in and around their Himalayan mountain habitats. Using case studies of 6 remote villages nearest to known red panda habitats inside and outside a protected area in western Nepal, this study reports on key informant interviews, focus group discussions, informal interactions, and participant observations to identify and categorize the goods and services provided by these habitats. Among the provisioning and cultural ecosystem goods and services obtained from red panda habitats, local people prioritized seasonal grazing in high-altitude pastures, plant materials for medicines and food, wild plants for energy, transhumance culture, and religious interaction with nature. Their dependence on these services varied with season and location, with greater reliance on the services outside the protected areas. Some services used for valuing ecosystems, such as carbon storage and improved air and water quality and biodiversity, were only ever mentioned in a manner that would characterize them as cultural services provided by mountain deities. They only appear to be acknowledged as services with a use value by people from outside the region. This study suggests that understanding the value of the services provided to local communities could allow development of a policy that would also help conserve red pandas, particularly if income can be obtained for providing services to outsiders who have no perceived local economic benefit.

中文翻译：

---

尼泊尔西部小熊猫栖息地对生态系统服务流量的社会认可

小熊猫的生物和文化多样的山区生境产生了许多具有全球意义的生态系统产品和服务，并满足了贫困和弱势当地社区的日常养护需求和福祉。在尼泊尔进行的大多数生态系统服务研究都对社区森林管理和保护区进行了调查，这些保护区主要在该国的低山丘陵和平原地区。但是，为了保护小熊猫和相关的生物多样性，需要了解有助于其喜马拉雅山脉生境及其周围地区人民的生计和福祉的服务。通过对尼泊尔西部一个保护区内外与已知小熊猫栖息地最近的6个偏远村庄的案例研究，该研究报告了重要的知情者访谈，焦点小组讨论，非正式互动以及参与者的观察，以识别和分类这些栖息地提供的商品和服务。在从大熊猫栖息地获得的供应和文化生态系统商品和服务中，当地人优先考虑在高海拔牧场中季节性放牧，用于药物和食物的植物材料，用于能源的野生植物，超人类的文化以及与自然的宗教互动。他们对这些服务的依赖程度随季节和地点的不同而变化，更多地依赖保护区以外的服务。仅以某种方式提及了一些用于评估生态系统的服务，例如碳储存，改善的空气和水质以及生物多样性，这些服务将其描述为山区神灵提供的文化服务。他们似乎只被该地区以外的人们认可为具有使用价值的服务。这项研究表明，了解向当地社区提供的服务的价值可以允许制定一项政策，这也将有助于保护大熊猫，特别是如果能够获得收入以向没有当地经济利益的外界提供服务。