Himalayan Environment and Society in Transition

Religious and cultural principles and beliefs underlie much of the Bhutanese attitudes and practices in the environment. Students will learn to read religious symbols and understand local culture and belief through homestays and participation in Bhutanese festivals wherever possible. Students will also learn Dzongkha, the Bhutan’s national language, enough to engage in pleasantries on the street.

In 2008, Bhutan’s government shifted from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional democratic monarchy, part of a longer trend of devolution of authority from an absolute monarch to the people and communities. Since most of the population reside in rural areas, sustainable management of natural resources is critical for achieving the dual goals of rural development and biodiversity conservation. In this course, we examine the socio-cultural, political, and economic dimensions of Bhutan’s approach to development, with a focus on environment. We will use the interdisciplinary lens of political ecology to frame lines of inquiry and define research questions on the nature-society nexus. In this course, we focus on human interactions with and impacts on local ecosystems, and vice versa. By using Bhutan as an example, the course provides a conceptual framework for understanding how nature-society interactions, such as agriculture, water management, biodiversity conservation and utilization, and rural development shape both the natural landscape and the social and economic conditions in rural and urban areas. Because these interactions can be simultaneously social, cultural, economic, and ecological, holistic critical thinking is essential to understand these systems to enable us to propose solutions that make sense. The course provides the conceptual and practical skills and tools to critically examine and assess the human-environment nexus in the field. We also consider the theories and ethics of sustainable and unsustainable development and the need to view these issues in ways that are inclusive and just.

The kingdom of Bhutan lies in the eastern Himalayan typically characterized by extensive and numerous mountains and valleys, world’s highest peaks and a diversity of vegetation and wildlife. The mountain environments dominate Bhutan and shape both the culture and ecology of the land. Within this compact and mountainous country, are an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems and habitats; Bhutan and the Eastern Himalayan region are globally recognized as one of the hotpots for the biodiversity. In this course, we focus on mountains. What are the processes that form mountains and shape their ecological communities? We will begin by studying the physical environment of mountains — the geology and climate. Upon gaining an understanding of the physical environment, we will investigate the effect of elevation gradients on vegetation and highlight special features of mountain animals and the interaction between habitat and animal communities. How do mountains influence the distribution of biodiversity and how do scientists study ecology in mountainous environments? Finally, what are the threats to mountain regions in a rapidly changing world and what conservation tools are scientists and conservation biologists implementing to protect sensitive mountain environments and species.

In this course we will consider natural resources in the context of local livelihoods through the lens of ecology and economics, and across regional, national and global scales. We will examine the implications of different land uses related to various agricultural practices and livestock rearing. Furthermore, we will consider historical and current land use trajectories to understand the impacts of such practices over time on ecosystem resilience. For example, what are the principal stressors to the local economy and the environment at local, regional and national levels? We will consider food security, both at the local and regional levels and link those to natural resource stressors. Furthermore, we will look for synergies between conservation (both biodiversity and agrobiodiversity) in relation to rural livelihoods and development. This course is closely linked to the other two disciplinary courses in our program: Mountain Ecology and Political & Socioeconomic Dimensions of Environment. Conceptually, we will focus on the notions of resilience and multi-functionality and seek evidence for these in the field. Course lecture material will be complimented by field lectures, guest lectures, student led discussions and field exercises. Students will explore the science behind current local and global issues in conservation biology, land use, water resources, food production, biodiversity and climate change. The purpose of this course is to provide students with opportunities to develop a strong foundation of scientific knowledge on the natural environment and to build a tool kit of field research methodologies and analytical skills to uncover, test and describe the relationships between natural resources, land use practices and conservation.

This course prepares students to distinguish hidden assumptions in scientific approaches and separate fact from interpretation, cause from correlation, and advocacy from objectivity. Students learn specific tools including: experimental design; field techniques; basic descriptive statistics; and parametric and non-parametric quantitative analysis. Emphasis is placed on succinct scientific writing, graphic and tabular presentation of results, and effective delivery of oral presentations.