More than 12 percent of the trails in the region have been severely damaged and need urgent renovation, restoration and maintenance. Despite the availability of electricity in some villages, firewood continues to remain the major source of energy for local lodges, and timber is the main construction material. It is therefore probable that energy demands have gone up significantly with the numbers of visitors and lodges. Since cutting trees inside the national park is prohibited, forested areas outside the park boundary are increasingly under pressure to meet growing demands for firewood and timber. Several villages outside the park have emerged as centers for marketing firewood and timber.
Several efforts are underway to counter the environmental problem.
There have been emphasis on collecting garbage regularly, promoting alternative energy, reforestation and environmental education. The Nepalese government as well as local Sherpas are committed to their efforts towards improving environmental conditions and making sure that tourism is a basis for sustainable livelihood in the future. The Sherpa realize that their affluence is solely the result of tourism and, as such, they must ensure it does not erode its base. It was the poor people who first benefited from tourism, because they did not hesitate to carry loads for tourists. Tourism has given a boost to the local economy and regional trade.