Depopulating the Tibetan Grasslands: National Policies and Perspectives for the Future of Tibetan Herders in Qinghai Province, China

Tibetan grasslands constitute one of the most important grazing ecosystems in the world. Distributed widely across the high plains and mountains of the Tibetan plateau, these grasslands encompass the source areas of many major Asian rivers. Around 40 percent of the world's population depends on...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mountain research and development 2008-02, Vol.28 (1), p.26-31
Main Author: Foggin, J. Marc
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Building infrastructure
Chinese culture
Communities
Conservation policy
Development
Emerging markets
Endemic species
Environmental economics
Environmental policy
Flora
Global economy
Globalization
Government subsidies
Grassland management
Grasslands
Health facilities
Herding
Ideology
Livestock
Living conditions
Mountain grasslands
Mountains
Pastoral nomads
Rare species
Rivers
Rural development
Sustainable development
Wildlife conservation
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Summary:Tibetan grasslands constitute one of the most important grazing ecosystems in the world. Distributed widely across the high plains and mountains of the Tibetan plateau, these grasslands encompass the source areas of many major Asian rivers. Around 40 percent of the world's population depends on, or is influenced by, these rivers. Tibetan grasslands also support a unique assemblage of flora and fauna with many rare and endemic species. A variety of government policies have been applied in recent years to protect the ecology and biodiversity of China's grasslands. There is growing concern, though, that national and global economic considerations have overshadowed emerging conservation agendas. Additionally, the social dimensions of these policies deserve more attention than they have received to date. The present article critically reviews several key policies affecting pastoralists, with special attention given to the Sanjiangyuan region of Qinghai Province. Plateau Perspectives, an international NGO, has worked in this region for nearly a decade, promoting a more people-centered approach to conservation and development, thus giving a voice to local Tibetan pastoral communities.
ISSN:0276-4741
1994-7151
DOI:10.1659/mrd.0972