Bio-cultural Restoration

About

In recent decades, dominant models of development have prioritised sedentarisation, framing transhumant and nomadic ways of life as backward or primitive, in the process thwarting the rich social, ecological, and institutional networks that sustain pastoralist well-being and the integrity of rangeland ecosystems. Yet, many continue to pursue these nature-dependent livelihoods against considerable odds, while bearing a disproportionate burden of intersecting socio-economic, political, and environmental crises. This underscores the need for a contextual and place-based interventions that centres community knowledge, leadership, and aspirations as core drivers of conservation and development. Therefore, a key component of the GRAZIER initiative is bio-cultural restoration, aimed at enhancing the adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities in the Trans-Himalaya region.