Inle lake is the main life source for communities in this part of Myanmar’s rural Shan plateau region. For residents of the 200 villages in the lake’s watershed, the majority of whom belong to the Intha ethnic group, it provides fish to eat and sell. Its renowned hydroponic floating gardens known locally as ye-chan, run across thousands of acres of the lake’s fringes.
Inle Lake’s ecosystem is isolated from neighbouring aquatic areas, a factor that contributes to its individual importance. But today, the lake is threatened like never before. A growing population, upwards of 200,000 people, and the use of chemicals and fertilisers in the floating gardens, as well as silt accumulations and climate change events have put huge pressure on its ecosystem.
