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Pastoral Abandonment, Shrub Proliferation and Landscape Changes: A Case Study from Gorkha, Nepal

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  • Lila Nath Sharma
  • Ole Reidar Vetaas
  • Ram Prasad Chaudhary
  • Inger Elisabeth M�ren

Abstract

Seminatural grasslands have long been shaped and maintained by human-induced fire and grazing regimes in order to utilise extensive land areas, not suitable for intensive cultivation, for the production of protein for human consumption. Changes in either management regimes have great implications for vegetation cover and composition. In this context, we qualitatively examined 18 grasslands used by transhumance agro-pastoralists in western Gorkha, Nepal, to 1) show that the pastoral landscape is undergoing change due to shrub and tree encroachment; 2) understand the role of change in grazing and fire regimes in shrub encroachment dynamics; and 3) discuss management practices and policy implications of shrub control. In this region, grassland abandonment and livestock population decline have been the overriding land-use change trend over the last four decades brought on by out-migration of local people from these marginal areas. Our results revealed that Berberis shrub encroachment started approximately three decades ago and attained a problematic cover approximately 15 to 20 years ago. The shrub encroachment drivers are discussed in the context of changed fire and grazing practices. We underscore the necessity of management intervention to maintain the services provided by these seminatural systems; and suggest synergistic application of burning, weeding and grazing, rather than sporadic single treatment .

Suggested Citation

  • Lila Nath Sharma & Ole Reidar Vetaas & Ram Prasad Chaudhary & Inger Elisabeth M�ren, 2014. "Pastoral Abandonment, Shrub Proliferation and Landscape Changes: A Case Study from Gorkha, Nepal," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 53-69, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:clarxx:v:39:y:2014:i:1:p:53-69
    DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2013.773299
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    Cited by:

    1. Raju Rai & Yili Zhang & Basanta Paudel & Narendra Raj Khanal, 2019. "Status of Farmland Abandonment and Its Determinants in the Transboundary Gandaki River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Michał Sobala, 2020. "Mountain Meadows and Glades of the Carpathians—Type or Element of Landscape? The Problem of Delimitation and Typology of Mountain Pasture Landscapes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, May.

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