Ethnological Study of Grassland and Forest Use in Nepal Himalaya

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The main purpose of this project is to construct th new "Himalayan Model" of the environmental exploitation on the southern slope of the eastern Nepal Himalaya, through the joint investigation both of natural scientists and social scientists. Field work was conducted several times by all members mainly in the Solu-khumbu region of Nepal-Himalaya from 1994 to 1997. Our research was focused to know and understand the natural environment (mainly grassland and forest), its use (mainly agriculture and yak breeding) as well as to the social system related to them in this region.Main results obtained are as follows.1) Based on many plants collected and climatic data observed, the characteristics of natural environments in this region can be analyzed well2) The environmental exploitation such as yak-herding and agriculture in this region was observed and examined both from technological and from socio-cultural perspectives.3) The social system of control on natural environment (pasture and forest) by patri-lineal clan of Sherpa society was found. This system is recognized as an effective method for the sustainable development in this region.4) The symbiotic relation between Sherpa and Grun people, who share the Sherpa's summer pasture in the highland for feeding their sheep, were oberved. This relation is considerded to be a method eveloped for effective use of limited natural resources.In general, technologies for environmental control made it possible to use fragile environments in a sustained manner and effective social systems were developed for land control and use by local communities in the regions studied. In recent years, however, these systems have changed even in the high mountain areas, due to progress in transportation as well as to cultivation of highly productive crops introduced mainly from the New World. In addition, many highland inhabitants have emigrated to the lowlands because economic resources became scarece in the highlands.