The poverty of the area is exacerbated by natural and man-made disasters, some of which could be remedied through the ECHO awareness program:

1. Landslides
2. Earthquakes
3. Snow and avalanches
4. Attacks by insects and parasites
5. Deforestation, lopping of trees, timber extraction
6. Livestock grazing and grass cutting, resulting in habitat destruction
7. Hunting and poaching
8. Mineral extraction
9. Excessive use of wood in buildings and in fireplaces

A secondary reason for ECHO￿s creation is ￿The conservation of the Southern Himalayan threatened and endangered species and their habitat in collaboration with local communities.￿