The Fragile Mountain
odd: label: General
content: Local Numbers: HSFA 2012.5.1
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Nichols, Sandra
setName: label: See more items in
content: Sandra Nichols collection
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2 Film reels (58 minutes, color sound; 2,016 feet, 16mm)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1982
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Edited film filmed primarily in the Kaski District in the Gandaki zone of northern-central Nepal (Pokhara, Naudanda Village and Dopeharay Village); Indo-Gangetic Plain in southern Nepal and Manigaun Village in the central hills of Nepal, north of Kathmandu and a four hour trek from Trisuli Bazaar, the subject is the deforestation of Nepal that both causes and perpetuates a cycle of environmental destruction that has devastating consequences for Nepal's inhabitants.  Examined are the villagers' needs for firewood for cooking, grazing lands for animals and land for subsistence growing of crops as well as the population explosion of Nepal and current and future economic opportunities.  Issues of deforestation include the destabilization of the Himalayan-Gangetic system with topsoil washing down from the mountains silting the rivers and causing excessive flooding while leaving behind poor land for agriculture and husbandry.  Film ends with the hope that integrated land-use and reforestation projects and more efficient use of existing resources will help stem the severe problems of erosion.  For all initiatives it is recognized that the Nepalese people must accept changes to their way of life in order to provide for the present and for their children's future.  Those interviewed for the film are Naina Singh Lama, his wife and his brother in Manigaun Village.

Legacy Keywords: Soil erosion ; Soil conservation ; Environmental responsibility ; Human ecology ; Mountains ; Rivers ; Villages ; Language and culture