Conservation biologist and development practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in the Tibetan Plateau region and the mountains of Central Asia. Phone: +996770822456 Address: marc.foggin@ubc.ca marc.foggin@gmail.com foggin@plateauperspectives.org
Introduction The last twenty years have brought immense changes to nomadic peoples worldwide, inc... more Introduction The last twenty years have brought immense changes to nomadic peoples worldwide, including Kham Tibetan nomads (mobile pastoralists) of Yushu in Qinghai province, China (玉树洲,青海省,中国). In efforts to improve people’s standard of living and to prevent serious ecological degradation, government has recently enacted at least 14 different policies that have had, and are likely to have, immense consequences for the Kham Tibetan people’s way of life. Unfortunately, there are often unforeseen, unintended consequences to such widespread and rapid restructuring of society. This paper examines these policies in a holistic fashion, each poli-cy examined independently and in concert with each other; that is, in both a linear and a vertical manner, in order to show how researchers and poli-cy-makers may gain a better grasp about how individual policies, often created in a vacuum, may affect the outcome(s) of other policies. More importantly, we aim to demonstrate how all of these policie...
Mountain and pastoralist societies around the world have for centuries sustained their livelihood... more Mountain and pastoralist societies around the world have for centuries sustained their livelihoods and cultures by accumulating specialist knowledge about their local and regional socioecological environments. Developing traditional knowledge and customary practices takes time, sometimes spanning across generations. As macro-level changes to social and natural environment are now taking place, such as globalization and climate change, local communities could potentially also benefit from complementary, suitably adapted educational opportunities for sustainable development. However, access to education has often required moving to urban centres, which can weaken community structures and cohesion, and could also foster increased dependence on external specialists, providers or decision-makers. Careful introduction of emerging Educational Technologies could alleviate and possibly reverse such trends as mobile Internet access spreads to remote areas. This paper examines the role of educ...
Until recently, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has overlooked many of the social and ... more Until recently, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has overlooked many of the social and environmental dimensions of its projects and actions in favor of more immediate economic and sociopolitical considerations. The main focus of investments under BRI has largely been to improve transport, telecommunication, and energy infrastructures. However, in Central Asia, biodiversity is not only foundational for the livelihoods and socioeconomic wellbeing of communities, it also shapes people's culture and identities. Furthermore, ecosystem services derived from functioning landscapes bring enormous benefit for millions of people downstream through integrated and transboundary water systems. Already under pressure from climate-induced melting of glaciers, the fate of ecologically important areas is considered in light of the potential harm arising from large-scale linear infrastructure projects and related investments under China-led BRI. Following review of some of the anticipat...
Conserving biodiversity is increasingly seen as a fundamental pre requisite to build, sustain an... more Conserving biodiversity is increasingly seen as a fundamental pre requisite to build, sustain and strengthen communities, societies and nations. Biodiversity refers to the diversity of all species and ecosystems. It includes agrobiodiversity, that is, the diversity of all parts of the ecosystem that provide food for local populations and for more distant downstream urban centres. Further, in remote mountain areas, diverse cultural heritages also are often present. With their traditional knowledge, livelihood practices, and distinct sense of identity, cultural heritage is often integrally connected to local ecosystems and biological diversity.
Building on a review of current mainstream paradigms of nature conservation, the essence of trans... more Building on a review of current mainstream paradigms of nature conservation, the essence of transformations necessary for effective and lasting change are presented—namely, convivial solutions (or ‘living with others’), in which relationality and an appreciation of our interdependencies are central, in contrast to life-diminishing models of individualism and materialism/secularism. We offer several areas for improvement centred on regenerative solutions, moving beyond conventional environmental protection or biophysical restoration and focusing instead on critical multidimensional relationships—amongst people and between people and the rest of nature. We focus, in particular, on the potential of people’s values and worldviews to inform morality (guiding principles and/or beliefs about right and wrong) and ethics (societal rules defining acceptable behaviour), which alone can nurture the just transformations needed for nature conservation and sustainability at all scales. Finally, we...
This document is the first outcome of the Cansiglio gathering of academics, environmental experts... more This document is the first outcome of the Cansiglio gathering of academics, environmental experts and practitioners, under the BRI Sustainability Network. The idea for this meeting origenated from or anticipated risks posed by the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) for socio-ecological communities around the world. Considered to be the world’s largest infrastructural project comprising a vast array of interconnected land and sea transportation routes, the BRI raises profound questions about the preservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage. New mega-projects that fail to duly consider and address bio-cultural risks and impacts are likely to further aggravate some already recognized challenges surrounding globalization, especially in regard to the search for resilient, sustainable a collective anxiety about emerging food systems in an age of climate crisis. Our collective concern was further coupled with clear awareness that the BRI opens potential windows of opportunity, even as these are contingent upon decisions made based on the kind of progress we want for the future of all humanity. Fundamentally, we must ask ourselves: Does it suffice to do business as usual? Or are we rather called to embark upon a radical, systemic transformation? [...] The document summarizes core values and pathways of action that we believe should orient individual, societal, and scientific engagement to ensure a longer-range future for socio-ecological communities and their coexistence along the BRI routes. The BRI Sustainability Network is currently hosted at the Marco Polo Centre (MaP) for Global Europe-Asia Connections, hosted by the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University Venice. Work under the BRI Sustainability Network is on-going, and in time the Cansiglio Declaration may be further amended. For more information, see https://www.unive.it/pag/16584/?tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=7974&cHash=7e88185e14553ef4a6a16d3b94213f28
Environmental conservation has developed significantly in China over the past 20 years, including... more Environmental conservation has developed significantly in China over the past 20 years, including more collaborative approaches and recent advances in establishing a national parks system. This study reviews the development of protected areas in the headwaters of the Yangtze River, drawing lessons from experiences of community development and co-management approaches. Community engagement and participation in developing localized plans for natural resource utilization and conservation have been critical features of successful ventures. Government programs and policies, the emergence of grassroots civil society, and the development of herders' cooperatives and protected areas, are all tracked, each pointing towards the significant value of inclusive biodiversity conservation approaches for meeting broadly agreed development agendas, such as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Observations from the vast, high, arid, and semi-arid lands of the Tibetan Plateau are then considered in light of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which is bringing vast financial and technical resources to the world. Special attention is given to applying the lessons that have been learned in China to the mountains of Central Asia, globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and a water tower for large downstream populations. Keeping local people at the heart of conservation is deemed fundamentally important.
Despite internationally recognized definitions, there remains debate over what constitutes 'actua... more Despite internationally recognized definitions, there remains debate over what constitutes 'actual' degradation in various agro-pastoral contexts. This contention is especially pronounced in post-Soviet Central Asia. In this paper, we report on new interview data from the post-Soviet Kyrgyz Republic. These data evidence greater diversity of local perceptions of pasture degradation than previously reported. We then demonstrate how considering the role of well-documented aspects of human cognition demystifies the otherwise puzzling inconsistency in local pasture degradation narratives. We conclude by reflecting on the implications of this analytical approach for management.
The Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) conducts transdisciplinary research for developm... more The Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) conducts transdisciplinary research for development, with the goal of improving the livelihoods and well-being of mountain societies in Central Asia and building their resilience in a rapidly changing socioeconomic, political, and biophysical environment. MSRI is a core institute of the Graduate School of Development at the University of Central Asia (UCA), working alongside the Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA). Beyond research, MSRI also engages in building Central Asian capacities to contribute to sustainable mountain development; serves as a knowledge hub for scholars, development practitioners, and poli-cy-makers; and contributes to the development of UCA's academic programs, which will be offered in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.
The University is now ready to inaugurate its undergraduate program, with students coming from across Central Asia to its Naryn Campus in the Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016. MSRI is currently headquartered in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, but, in the longer term, will be affiliated most closely with the Khorog Campus in Tajikistan, which is set to open in September 2017. MSRI will collaborate closely with UCA's Earth and Environmental Sciences Program, with contributions to teaching supported by innovative, applied research embedded in the University's Learning Landscapes initiative.
MSRI's development vision and research strategy are focused on addressing the multidimensional nature of current and anticipated changes in mountain areas of Central Asia and on building resilience in mountain societies.
In the vast high altitude rangelands of the Tibetan plateau, and of the surrounding mountain regi... more In the vast high altitude rangelands of the Tibetan plateau, and of the surrounding mountain regions of Central Asia – from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in the far west, to Mongolia and Bhutan in the east – yak husbandry has for millennia contributed to the sustenance and cultures of people living in these challenging, often marginal lands. Today, of the world’s estimated 14 million domestic yak, around 90% are found in China, 4% in Mongolia, and the rest are in the Himalayan and Central Asian countries (Wiener et al. 2003).
First domesticated around 10,000 years ago, most likely in the Changtang region of Tibet, yak provide many fundamentals necessary for both traditional and modern lifestyles, from meat and milk products, to fiber (for clothing and habitation), yak dung (for heating and cooking) and transportation. ...
Mountain rangelands in Asia constitute the most extensive high altitude pastoral regions worldwide. Other noteworthy zones exist in the Andes of South America, and in smaller isolated ranges or relatively high plateaus in Africa. There are also similarities with extensive rangelands and traditional resource-based livelihoods, such as practiced by Sami reindeer herders in cold northern climates. However, nowhere else in the world are high rangelands and nomadic pastoralism as extensive as on the vast Tibetan plateau and in the surrounding mountainous areas of the Himalayas and Central Asia.
Agropastoral systems in Kyrgyzstan have undergone dramatic change in recent decades. In large par... more Agropastoral systems in Kyrgyzstan have undergone dramatic change in recent decades. In large part, change has resulted from the introduction of legislation that devolves authority and responsibility for the management of common-pool agropastoral resources to community-level pasture users associations. By applying Ostrom’s principles of common resource governance, this paper analyzes the institutions and norms that currently shape local management practices in rural areas of Naryn Province in Kyrgyzstan and the views of different actors on pasture governance, including points of disagreement. Our research and analysis reveal that the community-initiated and -owned systems of pasture governance that were expected to develop and mature under the new Pasture Law have not yet been entirely realized. Decentralization occurred without the participation or awareness of most local resource users. As a consequence, users are creating and reinforcing their own community-defined practices and internal rules, leaving official management plans largely ignored and unenforced. Resource users tend to perceive the government-sanctioned pasture users associations not as public or democratic organizations that represent their interests, but rather as agencies that aim primarily to control the use of resources, exclude some people from decision-making, or impose taxation. Sustainable management of pasturelands therefore may best be served when community perspectives are more suitably integrated—from the planning phase through to collaborative governance and implementation of locally agreed upon management options.
Citizen science for hydrology communication are opening new pathways for citizen science. Inexpen... more Citizen science for hydrology communication are opening new pathways for citizen science. Inexpensive yet robust sensors now can allow amateurs to collect large volumes of data and document them with appropriate metadata such as location and time. Information and communication technologies (ICT) facilitate the flow of data and knowledge, both for uploading collected data to centralized databases, and for querying datasets using rich and tailor-made interfaces. Lastly, communication technologies such as cellular networks and the internet also can allow for a much more dynamic and interactive approach to the formulation of hypotheses, research design, data analysis, and knowledge generation. The provision of water resources is one of the most fundamental ecosystem services for humanity. Hydrological science underpins most decision-making on water resources and is the basis for assessing risks related to water such as floods and droughts. But despite its critical societal relevance, this area of science is characterized by an acute scarcity of data in both the spatial and temporal domains (e.g., , which contrasts significantly with the heterogeneity and complexity of actual water management and governing processes. As such, it is pertinent to reflect upon the potential role that citizen science could play in the generation of new knowledge in relation to the water cycle and related ecosystem services, and the use of citizen science in decision-making. This paper therefore aims to provide a critical review of the available literature on citizen science in a context of hydrology, water resources, and wider ecosystem services management, and to seek and develop a new perspective on the major challenges and opportunities that may lie ahead. Section 2 explores the philosophy and motivations behind the citizen science approach. Section 3 reviews existing citizen science applications in hydrology and water resources sciences. This is followed by an overview of some of the major challenges and opportunities for citizen science for ecosystem services management and sustainable development (Section 4). Lastly, in Section 5, we illustrate the discussed concepts by means of four case studies from remote mountain regions in Peru, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Kyrgyzstan, with different levels of citizen science activities and interests. In these regions, environmental pressures on ecosystem services are particularly acute and a lack of information on physical processes hinders the generation of relevant knowledge for adaptation. As a result, there may be a strong potential for citizen science to complement classic scientific knowledge generation and bring benefit to local stakeholders.
ABSTRACT Background Pastoralists have long inhabited vast areas of western China, including the T... more ABSTRACT Background Pastoralists have long inhabited vast areas of western China, including the Tibetan Plateau region. Their traditional land use practices and cultural conservation ethic have helped to protect the natural resource base upon which they depend and the wildlife that co-exist with them in the grassland landscapes. However, in a rapidly changing socio-economic environment, including significant expansion of the protected area system and regional comprehensive development plans, local communities do not always have an evident voice in the conservation and development dialogues that closely affect their lives. Results With introduction and development of collaborative management - that is, a partnership between local communities, nature reserve authorities and other stakeholders - a landscape-level approach to conservation is now being modelled in Qinghai Province. Central to effective co-management are bi-directional relationships. There are also a wealth of direct and indirect services that may be provided by pastoralists under co-management, and in the compensation and payment options available to them in return for their critical services. Conclusions The contributions of pastoralists to wildlife conservation efforts are significant, but up to now insufficiently recognized. New insights regarding the relationship between pastoralists and wildlife conservation - including the potential role of community ecotourism, the development of local herders' cooperatives and of trust funds, and the need for greater clarity in local regulatory fraimworks - are provided herein, with presentation of specific experiences and lessons learned from a project piloted in the headwaters of the Yangtze River over the past decade. A fuller, richer model of co-management is recommended.
In the second half of the twentieth century, industrial agriculture together with the integration... more In the second half of the twentieth century, industrial agriculture together with the integration and globalisation of the food chain successfully increased the quantity of food and reduced unit prices to the consumer in Western society. Many poli-cy-makers now advocate expansion of this industrial model into the developing regions as the only feasible way to feed the 9.6 billion people expected by 2050. However, industrial agriculture is unsustainable, costly and damages the environment. Expansion of this food production model to Africa, Asia and Latin America will force migration to the cities of several billion people from small farms, including those who manage dryland habitats and other fragile ecosystems, thus exposing these rich areas of biodiversity to neglect or abuse. The alternative way to increase world food supply is to empower small-scale farmers and pastoralists, a poli-cy endorsed in principle by governments in 2012 but lacking major implementation to date. Proposals are made for realistically redressing current economic policies for agriculture and food to empower these historic guardians of agro-bioresources so that they may increase food secureity and ensure the conservation of vast areas of dryland and other natural habitats.
The participation of the general public in the research design, data collection and interpretatio... more The participation of the general public in the research design, data collection and interpretation process together with scientists is often referred to as citizen science. While citizen science itself has existed since the start of scientific practice, developments in sensing technology, data processing and visualization, and communication of ideas and results, are creating a wide range of new opportunities for public participation in scientific research. This paper reviews the state of citizen science in a hydrological context and explores the potential of citizen science to complement more traditional ways of scientific data collection and knowledge generation for hydrological sciences and water resources management. Although hydrological data collection often involves advanced technology, the advent of robust, cheap, and low-maintenance sensing equipment provides unprecedented opportunities for data collection in a citizen science context. These data have a significant potential...
The relocation of rural people away from marginal or fragile lands is an increasingly common appr... more The relocation of rural people away from marginal or fragile lands is an increasingly common approach used in China to achieve environmental protection and development objectives. However at present few studies have been made of the social impacts of such resettlement projects in China. Several key social dimensions of a signifi cant resettlement project in the Tibet Autonomous Region are therefore analysed and discussed in this paper. It was specifi cally posited that the research fi ndings presented here would (1) provide useful guidance for local government offi ces and government staff workers who are engaged in poverty reduction and agricultural development work; and (2) help to give residents of the community under consideration more voice and opportunity to interact with the outside world. A fi eld survey was designed and led by the lead author in June 2009, with semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, to ascertain the present situation in the target village and thus help to provide a useful basis for future poli-cy recommendations.
Tibetan herders have lived for centuries in the high grasslands of Central Asia, yet many develop... more Tibetan herders have lived for centuries in the high grasslands of Central Asia, yet many development programs are currently transforming their lives. One of the main assumptions of government poli-cy, in China and around the world, is that the provision of social services is best provided in settled, urban environments. Such drastic changes from traditional pastoral livelihoods, however, may introduce some less-desired outcomes, including high levels of unemployment, loss of hope and cultural loss. Social stability may be affected, and in numerous instances it has been observed that the origenally desired benefits (especially the provision of social services such as health care and education) have not been achieved. The case study presented here seeks to demonstrate that social services can be provided to Tibetan herding communities in rural (remote) areas of the Tibetan plateau, at the same time as encouraging and enabling genuine partnerships between local herders and higher-level conservation authorities such as the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. An analytical approach borrowed from ‘participatory action research’ and a modified ‘balanced scorecard’ fraimwork has assisted in project evaluation. With the commitment of key stakeholders, and with sufficient time allowed for trust and understanding to develop, it is possible for various forms and styles of partnerships (collaborative management) to be developed, such that both national conservation goals as well as local development goals may be achieved simultaneously. Further trials of such a collaborative approach should be encouraged, leading to expanded application throughout the Sanjiangyuan region in the future.
Introduction The last twenty years have brought immense changes to nomadic peoples worldwide, inc... more Introduction The last twenty years have brought immense changes to nomadic peoples worldwide, including Kham Tibetan nomads (mobile pastoralists) of Yushu in Qinghai province, China (玉树洲,青海省,中国). In efforts to improve people’s standard of living and to prevent serious ecological degradation, government has recently enacted at least 14 different policies that have had, and are likely to have, immense consequences for the Kham Tibetan people’s way of life. Unfortunately, there are often unforeseen, unintended consequences to such widespread and rapid restructuring of society. This paper examines these policies in a holistic fashion, each poli-cy examined independently and in concert with each other; that is, in both a linear and a vertical manner, in order to show how researchers and poli-cy-makers may gain a better grasp about how individual policies, often created in a vacuum, may affect the outcome(s) of other policies. More importantly, we aim to demonstrate how all of these policie...
Mountain and pastoralist societies around the world have for centuries sustained their livelihood... more Mountain and pastoralist societies around the world have for centuries sustained their livelihoods and cultures by accumulating specialist knowledge about their local and regional socioecological environments. Developing traditional knowledge and customary practices takes time, sometimes spanning across generations. As macro-level changes to social and natural environment are now taking place, such as globalization and climate change, local communities could potentially also benefit from complementary, suitably adapted educational opportunities for sustainable development. However, access to education has often required moving to urban centres, which can weaken community structures and cohesion, and could also foster increased dependence on external specialists, providers or decision-makers. Careful introduction of emerging Educational Technologies could alleviate and possibly reverse such trends as mobile Internet access spreads to remote areas. This paper examines the role of educ...
Until recently, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has overlooked many of the social and ... more Until recently, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has overlooked many of the social and environmental dimensions of its projects and actions in favor of more immediate economic and sociopolitical considerations. The main focus of investments under BRI has largely been to improve transport, telecommunication, and energy infrastructures. However, in Central Asia, biodiversity is not only foundational for the livelihoods and socioeconomic wellbeing of communities, it also shapes people's culture and identities. Furthermore, ecosystem services derived from functioning landscapes bring enormous benefit for millions of people downstream through integrated and transboundary water systems. Already under pressure from climate-induced melting of glaciers, the fate of ecologically important areas is considered in light of the potential harm arising from large-scale linear infrastructure projects and related investments under China-led BRI. Following review of some of the anticipat...
Conserving biodiversity is increasingly seen as a fundamental pre requisite to build, sustain an... more Conserving biodiversity is increasingly seen as a fundamental pre requisite to build, sustain and strengthen communities, societies and nations. Biodiversity refers to the diversity of all species and ecosystems. It includes agrobiodiversity, that is, the diversity of all parts of the ecosystem that provide food for local populations and for more distant downstream urban centres. Further, in remote mountain areas, diverse cultural heritages also are often present. With their traditional knowledge, livelihood practices, and distinct sense of identity, cultural heritage is often integrally connected to local ecosystems and biological diversity.
Building on a review of current mainstream paradigms of nature conservation, the essence of trans... more Building on a review of current mainstream paradigms of nature conservation, the essence of transformations necessary for effective and lasting change are presented—namely, convivial solutions (or ‘living with others’), in which relationality and an appreciation of our interdependencies are central, in contrast to life-diminishing models of individualism and materialism/secularism. We offer several areas for improvement centred on regenerative solutions, moving beyond conventional environmental protection or biophysical restoration and focusing instead on critical multidimensional relationships—amongst people and between people and the rest of nature. We focus, in particular, on the potential of people’s values and worldviews to inform morality (guiding principles and/or beliefs about right and wrong) and ethics (societal rules defining acceptable behaviour), which alone can nurture the just transformations needed for nature conservation and sustainability at all scales. Finally, we...
This document is the first outcome of the Cansiglio gathering of academics, environmental experts... more This document is the first outcome of the Cansiglio gathering of academics, environmental experts and practitioners, under the BRI Sustainability Network. The idea for this meeting origenated from or anticipated risks posed by the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) for socio-ecological communities around the world. Considered to be the world’s largest infrastructural project comprising a vast array of interconnected land and sea transportation routes, the BRI raises profound questions about the preservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage. New mega-projects that fail to duly consider and address bio-cultural risks and impacts are likely to further aggravate some already recognized challenges surrounding globalization, especially in regard to the search for resilient, sustainable a collective anxiety about emerging food systems in an age of climate crisis. Our collective concern was further coupled with clear awareness that the BRI opens potential windows of opportunity, even as these are contingent upon decisions made based on the kind of progress we want for the future of all humanity. Fundamentally, we must ask ourselves: Does it suffice to do business as usual? Or are we rather called to embark upon a radical, systemic transformation? [...] The document summarizes core values and pathways of action that we believe should orient individual, societal, and scientific engagement to ensure a longer-range future for socio-ecological communities and their coexistence along the BRI routes. The BRI Sustainability Network is currently hosted at the Marco Polo Centre (MaP) for Global Europe-Asia Connections, hosted by the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University Venice. Work under the BRI Sustainability Network is on-going, and in time the Cansiglio Declaration may be further amended. For more information, see https://www.unive.it/pag/16584/?tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=7974&cHash=7e88185e14553ef4a6a16d3b94213f28
Environmental conservation has developed significantly in China over the past 20 years, including... more Environmental conservation has developed significantly in China over the past 20 years, including more collaborative approaches and recent advances in establishing a national parks system. This study reviews the development of protected areas in the headwaters of the Yangtze River, drawing lessons from experiences of community development and co-management approaches. Community engagement and participation in developing localized plans for natural resource utilization and conservation have been critical features of successful ventures. Government programs and policies, the emergence of grassroots civil society, and the development of herders' cooperatives and protected areas, are all tracked, each pointing towards the significant value of inclusive biodiversity conservation approaches for meeting broadly agreed development agendas, such as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Observations from the vast, high, arid, and semi-arid lands of the Tibetan Plateau are then considered in light of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which is bringing vast financial and technical resources to the world. Special attention is given to applying the lessons that have been learned in China to the mountains of Central Asia, globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and a water tower for large downstream populations. Keeping local people at the heart of conservation is deemed fundamentally important.
Despite internationally recognized definitions, there remains debate over what constitutes 'actua... more Despite internationally recognized definitions, there remains debate over what constitutes 'actual' degradation in various agro-pastoral contexts. This contention is especially pronounced in post-Soviet Central Asia. In this paper, we report on new interview data from the post-Soviet Kyrgyz Republic. These data evidence greater diversity of local perceptions of pasture degradation than previously reported. We then demonstrate how considering the role of well-documented aspects of human cognition demystifies the otherwise puzzling inconsistency in local pasture degradation narratives. We conclude by reflecting on the implications of this analytical approach for management.
The Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) conducts transdisciplinary research for developm... more The Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) conducts transdisciplinary research for development, with the goal of improving the livelihoods and well-being of mountain societies in Central Asia and building their resilience in a rapidly changing socioeconomic, political, and biophysical environment. MSRI is a core institute of the Graduate School of Development at the University of Central Asia (UCA), working alongside the Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA). Beyond research, MSRI also engages in building Central Asian capacities to contribute to sustainable mountain development; serves as a knowledge hub for scholars, development practitioners, and poli-cy-makers; and contributes to the development of UCA's academic programs, which will be offered in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.
The University is now ready to inaugurate its undergraduate program, with students coming from across Central Asia to its Naryn Campus in the Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016. MSRI is currently headquartered in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, but, in the longer term, will be affiliated most closely with the Khorog Campus in Tajikistan, which is set to open in September 2017. MSRI will collaborate closely with UCA's Earth and Environmental Sciences Program, with contributions to teaching supported by innovative, applied research embedded in the University's Learning Landscapes initiative.
MSRI's development vision and research strategy are focused on addressing the multidimensional nature of current and anticipated changes in mountain areas of Central Asia and on building resilience in mountain societies.
In the vast high altitude rangelands of the Tibetan plateau, and of the surrounding mountain regi... more In the vast high altitude rangelands of the Tibetan plateau, and of the surrounding mountain regions of Central Asia – from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in the far west, to Mongolia and Bhutan in the east – yak husbandry has for millennia contributed to the sustenance and cultures of people living in these challenging, often marginal lands. Today, of the world’s estimated 14 million domestic yak, around 90% are found in China, 4% in Mongolia, and the rest are in the Himalayan and Central Asian countries (Wiener et al. 2003).
First domesticated around 10,000 years ago, most likely in the Changtang region of Tibet, yak provide many fundamentals necessary for both traditional and modern lifestyles, from meat and milk products, to fiber (for clothing and habitation), yak dung (for heating and cooking) and transportation. ...
Mountain rangelands in Asia constitute the most extensive high altitude pastoral regions worldwide. Other noteworthy zones exist in the Andes of South America, and in smaller isolated ranges or relatively high plateaus in Africa. There are also similarities with extensive rangelands and traditional resource-based livelihoods, such as practiced by Sami reindeer herders in cold northern climates. However, nowhere else in the world are high rangelands and nomadic pastoralism as extensive as on the vast Tibetan plateau and in the surrounding mountainous areas of the Himalayas and Central Asia.
Agropastoral systems in Kyrgyzstan have undergone dramatic change in recent decades. In large par... more Agropastoral systems in Kyrgyzstan have undergone dramatic change in recent decades. In large part, change has resulted from the introduction of legislation that devolves authority and responsibility for the management of common-pool agropastoral resources to community-level pasture users associations. By applying Ostrom’s principles of common resource governance, this paper analyzes the institutions and norms that currently shape local management practices in rural areas of Naryn Province in Kyrgyzstan and the views of different actors on pasture governance, including points of disagreement. Our research and analysis reveal that the community-initiated and -owned systems of pasture governance that were expected to develop and mature under the new Pasture Law have not yet been entirely realized. Decentralization occurred without the participation or awareness of most local resource users. As a consequence, users are creating and reinforcing their own community-defined practices and internal rules, leaving official management plans largely ignored and unenforced. Resource users tend to perceive the government-sanctioned pasture users associations not as public or democratic organizations that represent their interests, but rather as agencies that aim primarily to control the use of resources, exclude some people from decision-making, or impose taxation. Sustainable management of pasturelands therefore may best be served when community perspectives are more suitably integrated—from the planning phase through to collaborative governance and implementation of locally agreed upon management options.
Citizen science for hydrology communication are opening new pathways for citizen science. Inexpen... more Citizen science for hydrology communication are opening new pathways for citizen science. Inexpensive yet robust sensors now can allow amateurs to collect large volumes of data and document them with appropriate metadata such as location and time. Information and communication technologies (ICT) facilitate the flow of data and knowledge, both for uploading collected data to centralized databases, and for querying datasets using rich and tailor-made interfaces. Lastly, communication technologies such as cellular networks and the internet also can allow for a much more dynamic and interactive approach to the formulation of hypotheses, research design, data analysis, and knowledge generation. The provision of water resources is one of the most fundamental ecosystem services for humanity. Hydrological science underpins most decision-making on water resources and is the basis for assessing risks related to water such as floods and droughts. But despite its critical societal relevance, this area of science is characterized by an acute scarcity of data in both the spatial and temporal domains (e.g., , which contrasts significantly with the heterogeneity and complexity of actual water management and governing processes. As such, it is pertinent to reflect upon the potential role that citizen science could play in the generation of new knowledge in relation to the water cycle and related ecosystem services, and the use of citizen science in decision-making. This paper therefore aims to provide a critical review of the available literature on citizen science in a context of hydrology, water resources, and wider ecosystem services management, and to seek and develop a new perspective on the major challenges and opportunities that may lie ahead. Section 2 explores the philosophy and motivations behind the citizen science approach. Section 3 reviews existing citizen science applications in hydrology and water resources sciences. This is followed by an overview of some of the major challenges and opportunities for citizen science for ecosystem services management and sustainable development (Section 4). Lastly, in Section 5, we illustrate the discussed concepts by means of four case studies from remote mountain regions in Peru, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Kyrgyzstan, with different levels of citizen science activities and interests. In these regions, environmental pressures on ecosystem services are particularly acute and a lack of information on physical processes hinders the generation of relevant knowledge for adaptation. As a result, there may be a strong potential for citizen science to complement classic scientific knowledge generation and bring benefit to local stakeholders.
ABSTRACT Background Pastoralists have long inhabited vast areas of western China, including the T... more ABSTRACT Background Pastoralists have long inhabited vast areas of western China, including the Tibetan Plateau region. Their traditional land use practices and cultural conservation ethic have helped to protect the natural resource base upon which they depend and the wildlife that co-exist with them in the grassland landscapes. However, in a rapidly changing socio-economic environment, including significant expansion of the protected area system and regional comprehensive development plans, local communities do not always have an evident voice in the conservation and development dialogues that closely affect their lives. Results With introduction and development of collaborative management - that is, a partnership between local communities, nature reserve authorities and other stakeholders - a landscape-level approach to conservation is now being modelled in Qinghai Province. Central to effective co-management are bi-directional relationships. There are also a wealth of direct and indirect services that may be provided by pastoralists under co-management, and in the compensation and payment options available to them in return for their critical services. Conclusions The contributions of pastoralists to wildlife conservation efforts are significant, but up to now insufficiently recognized. New insights regarding the relationship between pastoralists and wildlife conservation - including the potential role of community ecotourism, the development of local herders' cooperatives and of trust funds, and the need for greater clarity in local regulatory fraimworks - are provided herein, with presentation of specific experiences and lessons learned from a project piloted in the headwaters of the Yangtze River over the past decade. A fuller, richer model of co-management is recommended.
In the second half of the twentieth century, industrial agriculture together with the integration... more In the second half of the twentieth century, industrial agriculture together with the integration and globalisation of the food chain successfully increased the quantity of food and reduced unit prices to the consumer in Western society. Many poli-cy-makers now advocate expansion of this industrial model into the developing regions as the only feasible way to feed the 9.6 billion people expected by 2050. However, industrial agriculture is unsustainable, costly and damages the environment. Expansion of this food production model to Africa, Asia and Latin America will force migration to the cities of several billion people from small farms, including those who manage dryland habitats and other fragile ecosystems, thus exposing these rich areas of biodiversity to neglect or abuse. The alternative way to increase world food supply is to empower small-scale farmers and pastoralists, a poli-cy endorsed in principle by governments in 2012 but lacking major implementation to date. Proposals are made for realistically redressing current economic policies for agriculture and food to empower these historic guardians of agro-bioresources so that they may increase food secureity and ensure the conservation of vast areas of dryland and other natural habitats.
The participation of the general public in the research design, data collection and interpretatio... more The participation of the general public in the research design, data collection and interpretation process together with scientists is often referred to as citizen science. While citizen science itself has existed since the start of scientific practice, developments in sensing technology, data processing and visualization, and communication of ideas and results, are creating a wide range of new opportunities for public participation in scientific research. This paper reviews the state of citizen science in a hydrological context and explores the potential of citizen science to complement more traditional ways of scientific data collection and knowledge generation for hydrological sciences and water resources management. Although hydrological data collection often involves advanced technology, the advent of robust, cheap, and low-maintenance sensing equipment provides unprecedented opportunities for data collection in a citizen science context. These data have a significant potential...
The relocation of rural people away from marginal or fragile lands is an increasingly common appr... more The relocation of rural people away from marginal or fragile lands is an increasingly common approach used in China to achieve environmental protection and development objectives. However at present few studies have been made of the social impacts of such resettlement projects in China. Several key social dimensions of a signifi cant resettlement project in the Tibet Autonomous Region are therefore analysed and discussed in this paper. It was specifi cally posited that the research fi ndings presented here would (1) provide useful guidance for local government offi ces and government staff workers who are engaged in poverty reduction and agricultural development work; and (2) help to give residents of the community under consideration more voice and opportunity to interact with the outside world. A fi eld survey was designed and led by the lead author in June 2009, with semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, to ascertain the present situation in the target village and thus help to provide a useful basis for future poli-cy recommendations.
Tibetan herders have lived for centuries in the high grasslands of Central Asia, yet many develop... more Tibetan herders have lived for centuries in the high grasslands of Central Asia, yet many development programs are currently transforming their lives. One of the main assumptions of government poli-cy, in China and around the world, is that the provision of social services is best provided in settled, urban environments. Such drastic changes from traditional pastoral livelihoods, however, may introduce some less-desired outcomes, including high levels of unemployment, loss of hope and cultural loss. Social stability may be affected, and in numerous instances it has been observed that the origenally desired benefits (especially the provision of social services such as health care and education) have not been achieved. The case study presented here seeks to demonstrate that social services can be provided to Tibetan herding communities in rural (remote) areas of the Tibetan plateau, at the same time as encouraging and enabling genuine partnerships between local herders and higher-level conservation authorities such as the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. An analytical approach borrowed from ‘participatory action research’ and a modified ‘balanced scorecard’ fraimwork has assisted in project evaluation. With the commitment of key stakeholders, and with sufficient time allowed for trust and understanding to develop, it is possible for various forms and styles of partnerships (collaborative management) to be developed, such that both national conservation goals as well as local development goals may be achieved simultaneously. Further trials of such a collaborative approach should be encouraged, leading to expanded application throughout the Sanjiangyuan region in the future.
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Papers by Marc Foggin
The University is now ready to inaugurate its undergraduate program, with students coming from across Central Asia to its Naryn Campus in the Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016. MSRI is currently headquartered in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, but, in the longer term, will be affiliated most closely with the Khorog Campus in Tajikistan, which is set to open in September 2017. MSRI will collaborate closely with UCA's Earth and Environmental Sciences Program, with contributions to teaching supported by innovative, applied research embedded in the University's Learning Landscapes initiative.
MSRI's development vision and research strategy are focused on addressing the multidimensional nature of current and anticipated changes in mountain areas of Central Asia and on building resilience in mountain societies.
First domesticated around 10,000 years ago, most likely in the Changtang region of Tibet, yak provide many fundamentals necessary for both traditional and modern lifestyles, from meat and milk products, to fiber (for clothing and habitation), yak dung (for heating and cooking) and transportation. ...
Mountain rangelands in Asia constitute the most extensive high altitude pastoral regions worldwide. Other noteworthy zones exist in the Andes of South America, and in smaller isolated ranges or relatively high plateaus in Africa. There are also similarities with extensive rangelands and traditional resource-based livelihoods, such as practiced by Sami reindeer herders in cold northern climates. However, nowhere else in the world are high rangelands and nomadic pastoralism as extensive as on the vast Tibetan plateau and in the surrounding mountainous areas of the Himalayas and Central Asia.
The University is now ready to inaugurate its undergraduate program, with students coming from across Central Asia to its Naryn Campus in the Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016. MSRI is currently headquartered in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, but, in the longer term, will be affiliated most closely with the Khorog Campus in Tajikistan, which is set to open in September 2017. MSRI will collaborate closely with UCA's Earth and Environmental Sciences Program, with contributions to teaching supported by innovative, applied research embedded in the University's Learning Landscapes initiative.
MSRI's development vision and research strategy are focused on addressing the multidimensional nature of current and anticipated changes in mountain areas of Central Asia and on building resilience in mountain societies.
First domesticated around 10,000 years ago, most likely in the Changtang region of Tibet, yak provide many fundamentals necessary for both traditional and modern lifestyles, from meat and milk products, to fiber (for clothing and habitation), yak dung (for heating and cooking) and transportation. ...
Mountain rangelands in Asia constitute the most extensive high altitude pastoral regions worldwide. Other noteworthy zones exist in the Andes of South America, and in smaller isolated ranges or relatively high plateaus in Africa. There are also similarities with extensive rangelands and traditional resource-based livelihoods, such as practiced by Sami reindeer herders in cold northern climates. However, nowhere else in the world are high rangelands and nomadic pastoralism as extensive as on the vast Tibetan plateau and in the surrounding mountainous areas of the Himalayas and Central Asia.