Ethnological Study of Grassland and Forest Use in Nepal Himalaya

该项目的主要目的是通过自然科学家和社会科学家的联合调查，在尼泊尔喜马拉雅山东部南坡建立新的环境开发"喜马拉雅模式"。1994年至1997年，所有成员主要在尼泊尔-喜马拉雅山的Solu-khumbu地区进行了几次实地工作。我们的研究重点是了解和理解自然环境（主要是草原和森林），其用途主要研究结果如下：1）根据大量的植物和气候观测资料，分析了该地区自然环境的特点; 2）牦牛等环境资源的开发利用;从技术和社会文化两个方面对这一地区的畜牧业和农业进行了观察和研究。3）对自然环境的社会控制系统夏尔巴人父系氏族的森林和牧场系统被认为是该地区可持续发展的有效途径。夏尔巴人和格伦人之间的共生关系，他们分享夏尔巴人在高原的夏季牧场喂养他们的羊，被观察到。这种关系被认为是一种有效利用有限自然资源的方法。一般来说，环境控制技术使脆弱环境的可持续利用成为可能，有效的社会制度也为土地控制和当地社区的利用发展起来。然而，近年来，由于交通的进步以及主要从新大陆引进的高产作物的种植，这些系统甚至在高山地区也发生了变化。此外，许多高地居民移居到低地，因为高地的经济资源变得稀缺。

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.