Founder of Himalayan Pastoral Trust Wins Rangelands Restoration Award 2026

August 21, 2026

Srinagar: Shahid Sulaiman, founder of the Himalayan Pastoral Trust (HPT), a non-governmental organization working for the preservation of rangelands and pastoralism in the Kashmir Himalayas, has been conferred the Rangelands Restoration Award 2026 at an event “Rangeland Awards and Best Practices of Communities on Rangeland Management and Pastoralism” held under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Sulaiman received the recognition for his contributions to rangeland conservation and for conceptualizing the Alpine Pond Solution, an innovative intervention aimed at addressing water scarcity in high-altitude grazing areas and strengthening the sustainability of pastoral livelihoods in the region.

Shahid was among 20 awardees from different parts of the world who were honored for their efforts in restoring, governing and sustaining rangelands. The award recognizes community-led initiatives that contribute to ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and sustaining pastoralism. His Alpine Pond Solution has gained attention as a practical and climate-resilient model that helps secure water resources for livestock and pastoralists while supporting the health of fragile mountain ecosystems in the Kashmir Himalayas.

The award ceremony was organized by the IYRP Global and South Asia Regional Alliance groups in collaboration with SEVA, ILRI, the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), DHAN Foundation, ATREE, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Honey Bee Network and IUCN. The recognition comes at a significant time as 2026 is being celebrated globally as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026), an initiative that seeks to highlight the importance of rangelands and the communities that depend on them. The award underscores the growing international recognition of grassroots efforts to promote sustainable rangeland management and pastoral development.