Linking natural resource management with sustainable development of traditional mountain societies

Abstract

Both in a biophysical sense and in terms of the human dimensions of the problems, mountains form a highly heterogeneous landscape. Largely occupied by traditional societies, those living close to nature and natural resources, these mountain societies are linked to the natural forest ecosystem and the human-managed agroecosystems through biodiversity driven traditional ecological knowledge. This knowledge base operates at varied levels of ecosystem complexity - sub-specific/species levels going right up to the landscape level complexity. This paper analyses the special features of this socio-ecological system complexity and considers various possibilities for sustainable management of natural resources, with concerns for sustainable livelihood of mountain communities.