History
The summit of Annapurna was first conquered in 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. That expedition made Annapurna the first mountain over 8,000 meters to ever have been climbed. The next successful summit occurred in 1970 by Chris Bonington and his team. The first American climbers reached the peak in October of 1978.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project
Since 1986, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project has been protecting the Annapurna region. It controls a 7,629 square kilometer area and is the first and largest conservation area in Nepal. The Annapurna Conservation Area Project requires trekkers to purchase permits to climb the mountain, as well as charging fees for entering the region.