Chewang Lachenpa is the leader of the Lachen Tourism Development Committee. His group of young leaders have banned bottled water in Lachen, conduct snow leopard camera-trap surveys, and have established homestays as part of a successful ecotourism industry in their mountain village. In doing so, Lachen has already become an inspirational model for similar work elsewhere in the country. By creating alternative livelihoods through the ecotourism industry, residents of Lachen are reducing their dependence on their local natural resource base and ecosystems, increasing their ability to adapt to a changing climate and making them effective champions of conservation efforts.

A climate vulnerability assessment for the Lachen area was developed that will inform state government policy on climate change.
Implementation of an innovative sustainable caterpillar fungus harvesting campaign in Lachen that will reduce the impact of fungus collectors on fragile alpine meadows, increasing the resilience of these extremely sensitive meadows to climate change impacts.
Training on making bio-briquettes from leaves and other waste plant material that will lead to a reduction in the cutting of trees and brush for fuel wood, increasing the resilience of local forests to climate impacts.

Through AHM Project climate adaptation activities in Lachen and elsewhere in Sikkim, young community leaders in Lachen are informing local community members about the importance of preparing for future climate change impacts on Lachen, as well as the importance of protecting local snow leopards and other natural resources for the benefit of future generations.