Eastern Himalayan Forests and Rural Livelihoods
SFS 3580
Syllabus, Summer 2016
Instructors
Matt Branch, A.B.D.
Kinley Tshering, M.Sc.
Lindsay Skog, Ph.D.
Sonam Phuntsho, M.Sc.
The School for Field Studies (SFS)
Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE)
Bumthang, Bhutan
www.fieldstudies.org/bhutan
© 2016 The School for Field Studies
Course Overview
The eastern Himalayan region is characterized by extensive and numerous mountains and
valleys, hosting the world’s highest peaks and a diversity of vegetation and wildlife. Identified
as one of the world’s ten biodiversity hot spots, the Kingdom of Bhutan is home to an estimated
770 species of birds and other diverse fauna, including the takin, snow leopard, golden langur,
blue sheep, and tiger. Varied ecosystems are also found in the country, ranging from
subtropical broadleaf forests in the south, to subalpine conifer forests, alpine shrub, and highmountain meadows. The highest elevations comprise rock and ice. Located in the subtropics,
Bhutan’s climate is dominated by summer monsoons which bring the majority of precipitation
for the year. The country also has more than 70% forest cover and about 50% of Bhutan is
under formal conservation protection.
Bhutan is internationally famous for its development concept called Gross National Happiness
(GNH). GNH is the guiding principle of development in Bhutan and is understood to have four
pillars: good governance, cultural protection and preservation, sustainable development, and
environmental conservation. Across the country, people have developed and maintained rich
cultural traditions and social and political institutions that reflect Buddhist principles of The
Middle Path, integrating people and nature as well as traditional knowledge and modern
science. Sustainable management of natural resources, including soil, water, biodiversity, and
minerals, is critical for Bhutan, as these resources are fundamental to the national identity as
well as the economy.
In early 2008, Bhutan’s government became a constitutional monarchy opening the door for
devolution of authority to regional governments and communities. Since the majority of the
population resides in rural areas, sustainable management of natural resources is critical for
achieving the dual goals of poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. Defining baselines
for biodiversity and ecosystem function is critical and, coupled with training in field research
methodologies and communication in science, scientists and environmental authorities are
increasingly effective at achieving development and conservation goals. Additionally, the first
student to ask about the environmental impacts of chocolate imports in Bhutan will get a
chocolate bar from the US.
The SFS-Bhutan program is an interdisciplinary, field-based course where students study a
country and region characterized by dramatic mountain landscapes and rich flora and fauna.
Traveling throughout Bhutan, our SFS group will learn about culture and history, religious
traditions, environmental issues, and conservation policies. Students will stay in Bhutanese
villages and trek across Himalayan landscapes to experience and understand local
environments and rural livelihoods. Academically, students will also develop skills in assessing
environmental problems, defining research questions, conducting field research, and
communicating results. Moreover, SFS students will come to appreciate the complexity of
identifying and addressing conservation and development issues in a rapidly changing region.
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SFS partners with the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE),
an international research and training facility in Bumthang, Bhutan. SFS students and faculty
will collaborate with UWICE to advance its research agenda in several priority areas, including
forest management, community resource assessment, and development policy.
Learning Objectives
There are multiple topical themes in this course: culture and religion of Bhutan; conservation
and development policy; forest and resource management; local knowledge systems; and
changing rural livelihoods. These will be addressed through classroom lectures and discussions,
field lectures, and field research, including Field Exercises (FEX) and a Directed Research (DR)
project. Classroom and field lecture topics will include essential background information, and
field exercises will be used to reinforce key concepts and provide students with field-based
experiences. Extended field trips will enable students to examine ecological and cultural
elements across the landscape and cultivate a deeper understanding of the social, religious,
political and environmental characteristics of Bhutan.
Following this course, students should:
1) Be familiar with the unique cultural, political, economic, and environmental aspects of
Bhutan.
2) Understand the basic concepts of rural development, community resource management,
forest-based livelihoods and environmental sustainability as well as the practical application
of those concepts. They will become aware of the important (and often underestimated)
societal factors that affect development and conservation.
3) Be able to recognize several vegetation types according to elevation, and to identify threats
to ecosystems and conservation strategies to maintain them.
4) Have implemented a field research project, conducted field data collection, managed and
interpreted data sets, and communicated research results to diverse audiences and
constituents in Bhutan.
Assessment
Several field exercises and a directed research project, which entails field-based data collection
and analysis, will provide students with experience in scientific research. Some assignments
encourage students to work together, to share ideas and knowledge. This allows students to
take advantage of the range of backgrounds within the group. Unless the assignment indicates
that only one copy of the answers is required from the group, students are expected to
complete their own assignments. The final course grade will be based on the following
assessment items.
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Assessment Item
Active participation
Field notebook and assignments
Field Exercise 1 – Reading the Landscape
Field Exercise 2 – Resource based livelihoods
Field Exercise 3 – Physical Science methods
Plant Identification Quiz
Integrative Exam
Research Proposal (DR team)
Date due
Throughout
Several collections
11th July
19th June
19th June
14th June
29th June
Draft: 28th June
Final: 30th June
7th July
7th July
8th July
Research Paper (DR team)
Research Presentation (DR team)
Research Poster (DR team)
TOTAL
Value
100
100
100
100
100
50
200
70
30
70
40
40
1000
Active participation
During this program we will travel through many eco-regions and rural communities. We
expect that you will be an active observer, constantly observing the landscape, livelihoods, and
culture and participating in discussions regarding these observations. Active participation
includes constructive engagement with the full range of course activities, respectful awareness
of our cultural context, and responsible behavior as a group member who is involved in others’
learning.
Field notebook and assignments
You will develop a comprehensive program field notebook that documents and captures your
on-the-ground learning experiences and serves as your primary record of content and
reflections during the course. This notebook should accompany you at all times: in the
classroom, guest lectures, and the field. All class notes, field notes, data from field exercises,
reflective comments and questions on course material, notes from discussions, and short
written assignments should be contained in this notebook, and you will be graded on the
thoroughness of this work. You must develop a Table of Contents with numbered pages so you
can easily locate material for the exam and to reference in your research. You may want to
develop sections for observations during travel, translations or words in Dzongkha, notes to
remember for your directed research, cultural notes, and reflective writing on how this
experience is reshaping your understanding of people and the environment. Keep this separate
from personal journaling you may do. Additional course handouts should be kept in the folder
provided.
When using citable material from your field notebook in written reports, use the following
format to acknowledge the source: (Tenzin Student, Field notes, Jakar, 12 June 2013).
Whenever possible, use the name of the person providing the information; if not possible, cite
descriptively, for example: “Firewood gatherer in Jakar forest.”
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Field Exercises
FEX 1. Reading the Landscapes
Guided by faculty, students will learn how to observe different elements of the landscape. They
will observe and document multiple landscapes during their stays in Thimphu and Bumthang.
Using the broader themes of the course, they will individually compare, contrast, and
document these three unique environments. Students will then write a reflective essay
(maximum 800 words) comparing the three eco-zones during the program.
FEX 2. Resource-based livelihoods
In small groups, students will partner with UWICE Forest Officer Trainees and conduct
interviews on resource-based livelihoods with community members in rural Bumthang villages.
Students will collaborate in the collection of qualitative data, discuss their findings with UWICE
Trainees, and write individual reports on their findings and observations.
FEX 3. Physical science research methods
Students will also put into practice the principles and methods of quantitative scientific
research, another essential skill for the directed research. Student groups will design and
implement a hypothesis related to forests, natural resources, and/or wild fauna. Students will
develop research hypotheses in small groups, create data sheets, collect data from the field,
statistically summarize and analyze the data, and present their findings in an oral presentation
to the class.
FEX 4. Social science research methods
Students will learn and practice qualitative methodologies in order to collect information from
local community members, an essential skill for the directed research project. Student groups
will design and implement an interview or questionnaire related to livelihoods and forests.
Students will also develop survey questions in small groups, administer the survey, apply basic
methods to summarize the qualitative (and quantitative) data collected, and produce a short
oral report in class.
Integrative Exam
Students will write one synthesizing exam that integrates the main course themes and will have
a take-home reflective essay, topic to be announced.
Plant Identification Quiz
Students will learn to identify the most common and relevant woody and herbaceous plant
species in the region.
Directed Research
Student teams will design and conduct a field research project led by the instructors. The team
will write and revise a proposal, conduct research, and produce a paper based on their findings.
This paper should follow the general framework of a scientific report and will give students
experience in concise organization and presentation of data. Each group will conduct two oral
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presentations of their research: in class and to an audience of stakeholders and government
officials in Bumthang.
The research projects are related to priority issues identified by our partner, UWICE. This year,
our research reach is expanding in relationship to our expanding presence in Bhutan. We will be
working with several long term research agendas of UWICE’s including: biodiversity
assessments, community forestry, impacts of conservation, human-wildlife conflict, and water
quality.
Student teams will work with a faculty mentor throughout the program to refine research
questions, design the study, carry out the fieldwork, analyze the data, and write and prepare
the poster and oral presentations. Specific guidelines will be provided when the projects are
introduced.
Grading Scheme
A
95.00 – 100.00%
B+
86.00 – 89.99%
C+
76.00 – 79.99%
D
60.00 – 69.99%
A-
90.00 – 94.99%
B
B-
83.00 – 85.99%
80.00 – 82.99%
C
C-
73.00 – 75.99%
70.00 – 72.99%
F
0.00 - 59.99%
General Reminders
Plagiarism, using the ideas and material of others without giving due credit, and cheating will
not be tolerated. A grade of zero on the assignment will be given for plagiarism or cheating or
aiding another person to cheat either actively or passively. Plagiarism cases may be reported to
the student’s home institution and may be grounds for further academic disciplinary action.
Deadlines for assignments are established to promote equity among students, to allow faculty
enough time to review and return comments and grade before other assignments are due; and
to avoid clashes with other activities and courses. Therefore, deadlines are firm and extensions
will only be considered under extreme circumstances. Unapproved late assignments incur 10%
penalty per day.
Since we offer a program that is likely more intensive than you might be used to at your home
institution, missing even one lecture can have a proportionally greater effect on your final
grade simply because there is little room to make up for lost time. Participation in all
components of the course is mandatory, it is important that you are prompt for all activities,
bring the necessary equipment for field exercises and class activities, and simply get involved.
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Course Content, Lectures
Type- L: lecture and discussion, GL: guest lecture, FL: field lecture, FEX: field exercise,
D: discussion, DR: directed research
Instructors- MB: Matt Branch, LS: Lindsay Skog, KT: Kinley Tshering, SP: Sonam Phuntsho
Readings in bold are required; others are optional supplementary reading.
***Note: Syllabus items and course content are subject to change***
Type
Date
Class title
Contact
Hrs
1.5
1.5
Lead
L
GL
6/6
6/7
Introduction to SFS and Bhutan
Religion and environment
L
6/7
1.0
FL
GL
6/8
6/8
Introduction to the academic
program
Buddhism basics
GNH history and Initiatives
1.0
1.5
MB
Ms. Wesel
Dema
FEX 1
6/9
1.0
LS
GL
6/9
Ecological landscapes I: Natural
& cultural landscapes
Political History of Bhutan
1.5
Dr. Karma
Phuntsho
Gallenkamp (2010)
Ardussi (2004)
L
6/11
Ecology of the Himalayas: Part I
1.0
KT
L
6/11
1.0
MB
L
6/12
1.5
LS
L,D
6/12
1.0
MB
FL
6/12
Introduction to DR
• SFS-UWICE research agenda
• Proposal writing
Introduction to Natural
Resources in the Himalayas
Development I: promises,
realities & alternatives
Plant identification
WWF (2009)
Lee et al 1998
2.0
FL
6/13
Mist Netting
2.0
L
6/13
1.5
FL
6/13
2.0
SP
Quiz
L
6/14
6/14
1.0
1.5
FL
6/14
Development II: The middle
path of Development
Traditional Resource
Management Practices
Plant ID Quiz
Water Resource Management
in Bhutan
Ecology of the Himalayas: Part
2
KT & Rinchen
Singye
Rinchen
Singye
MB
KT
Kencho
Tshering
KT
2.0
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Program staff
Khempo
Phuntsho
Tashi
All Faculty
Reading
Syllabus
Ura & MacDonald
(2011)
Rinzin et al. (2007)
Gillison 2012 (pg 9 Sec
3 – pg. 26 Sec 6)
Peet & Hartwick
(2009)
Uddin et al (2007)
Brassard 2008
S. Wangchuk (2005)
Yangka 2015
Type
Date
Class title
D
6/16
GL
6/16
Shifting Population Dynamics in
Bhutan
Climate Change in the
Himalayas
FEX 2
6/16
FL, FEX 3
6/17
L
6/18
FL, FEX 1
(Part II)
GL
6/20
L
L
6/23
6/23
L
6/24
L
Contact
Hrs
1.0
Lead
Reading
MB
Ballet et al 2007
1.5
Dawa Yoezer
Resource-Based Livelihoods
and Development Indicators in
Jakar
Physical Science Research
Methods: methods, ethics, &
design (including Forest
measurement)
Quantitative Data Management
& Presentation
Ecological Landscapes II:
Natural & Cultural Landscapes
Women’s Role in Bhutanese
Society
DR Topics Introduction
History & Trajectories of
International Conservation
Payment for Ecosystem
Services
3.0
4.0
MB &
Rinchen
Singye
SP, RS, LS, KT
Kusters and Wangdi
(2013)
ICIMOD 2009
Xu et al 2009
3.0
LS & KT
1.0
LS
1.0
1.5
1.0
Ashi Kunzang
Choden
All Faculty
MB
1.5
LS
6/24
Community forestry in practice
1.0
SP
L, FEX 4
6/24
4.0
LS
GL
6/25
1.0
L
6/25
Kencho
Tshering
MB
GL
6/27
Social Science Research
Methods:
Qualitative/quantitative,
analysis, & reporting
Introduction to Language in
Bhutan
History & Trajectories of
Conservation II: Bhutan
Alpine livelihoods
L
6/28
6/29
6/30
Exam Review
Exam
Communicating Science:
Presentations, writing, &
posters
Ecological landscapes III:
Sacred Landscapes
1.0
2.0
1.0
Mr. Tshering
Dhendup
All Faculty
All Faculty
All Faculty
1.0
LS
FL, FEX 1
(Part III)
6/22
7/9
1.5
1.0
8
Moktan et al 2009
RGoB 2014: Ch 1, pgs
1-3
Gordon 2007
Agrawal et al. (2008)
Brechin et al. (2002)
Gurung and Seeland
(2008)
Neves (2011)
Dorji and Phuntsho
(2007)
Phuntsho et al. (2011)
Bohannan 1966
Penjore (2007)
Namgyel et al. (2008)
Wangchuk and
Wangdi (2015)
Gyatso 1987
Pommaret 2004
Type
Date
FL
7/12
DR
7/17/4
7/57/7
DR
DR
DR
7/7
7/8
Class title
Contact
Hrs
1.0
58.5
Making Sense of it All
Classes total
DIRECTED RESEARCH
Directed Research: Field data
collection
Directed Research: Analysis,
write-up, and poster
preparation
DR Class Symposium
Directed Research UWICE
symposium (Bumthang)
DR Total
TOTAL CONTACT HOURS
30.0
Lead
All Faculty
DR team
DR team
2.5
3.0
Reading
DR topical readings
provided
DR team
DR team
35.5
94
Readings
Agrawal, A., A. Chhatre, and R. Hardin. 2008. Changing governance of the world’s forests. Science 320
(5882): 1460–62.
Ardussi, John. 2004. Formation of the state of Bhutan (’Brug Gzhung) in the 17th century and Its Tibetan
antecedents. In The Relationship Between Religion and State (chos Srid Zung Brel) in Traditional
Tibet. Lumbini, Lumbini International Research Institute (reprinted in Journal of Bhutan Studies,
Vol. 11, 2005).
Ballet, Jérôme, Nicolas Sirven, and Mélanie Requiers-Desjardins. 2007. Social capital and natural
resource management: A critical perspective. The Journal of Environment and Development 16
(4).
Bohannan, Laura. 1966. Shakespeare in the bush. Natural History 75 (7): 28-33.
Brassard, Caroline. 2008. Decentralization, democratization and development in Bhutan. Working Paper.
Brechin, Steven R., Peter R. Wilshusen, Crystal L. Fortwangler, and Patrick C. West. 2002. Beyond the
square wheel: Toward a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity conservation as
social and political process. Society & Natural Resources 15 (1): 41–64.
Dorji, Shacha, and Sonam Phuntsho. 2007. Timber sales from community forests is possible: A case study
on two community forests from Mongar and Bumthang. Thimphu: Regional Community Forestry
Training Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC), Thailand.
Gallenkamp, Marian. 2010. Democracy in Bhutan: An analysis of consitutional change in a Buddhist
monarchy. In IPCS Research Papers. 24. Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi.
Gillison, Andrew N. 2012. Biodiversity in Bhutan: A preliminary synthesis. Center for Biodiversity
Management, Queensland, Australia.
Gordon, John C. 2007. Planning research: A concise guide for the environmental and natural resource
sciences. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Gurung, Dhan B., and Klaus Seeland. 2008. Ecotourism in Bhutan. Annals of Tourism Research 35 (2):
489–508.
Gyatso, Janet. 1987. Down with the demoness: Reflections on a feminine ground in Tibet. The Tibet
Journal 12 (4): 38-53.
Kusters, Koen, and Norbu Wangdi. 2013. The costs of Aadaptation: Changes in water availability and
farmers’ responses in Punakha District, Bhutan. International Journal of Global Warming 5 (4):
387–99.
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Lee, S.W., W. Y. Choi, L. Norbu, and R. Pradhan. 1998. Genetic diversity and structure of blue pine (Pinus
wallichiana Jackson) in Bhutan. Forest Ecology and Management 105(1-3): 45-53.
Moktan, Mani Ram, Georg Gratzer, William H. Richards, Tek Bahadur Rai, and Dawa Dukpa. 2009.
Regeneration and structure of mixed conifer forests under single-tree harvest management in
the western Bhutan Himalayas. Forest Ecology and Management 258 (3): 243–55.
Neves, Bernardete, ed. 2011. Building capacity for PES in Bhutan: Pilot Summary Report Draft. FAO.
Peet, Richard and Elaine Hartwick. 2009. Theories of Development: Contentions, Arguments,
Alternatives. Guilford Press.
Penjore, Dorji. 2007. Is national environmental conservation success a rural failure? The other side of
Bhutan’s conservation story.
Phuntso, Sonam, Kasper Schmidt, Riamsara Kuyakanon, and Karma Jigme Temphel, eds. 2011.
Community Forestry in Bhutan: Putting People at the Heart of Poverty Reduction. UWICE, 2011.
Pommaret, Francoise. 2004. Yul and yul lha: The territory and its deity in Bhutan. Bulletin of Tibetology
40 (1): 39-67.
Royal Government of Bhutan. 2014. A field guide for aboveground, understory and soil carbon
assessment. Department of Forest and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests.
Rinzin, Chhewang, Walter J. V. Vermeulen, and Pieter Glasbergen. 2007. Public perceptions of Bhutan’s
approach to sustainable development in practice. Sustainable Development 15 (1): 52–68.
Sharma, Eklabya, Nakul Chettri, Karma Tsering, Arun Shrestha, Fang Jing, Pradeep Mool, and Mats
Eriksson. 2009. Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability in the Eastern Himalayas. Kathmandu:
ICIMOD.
Uddin, S., R. Taplin, and X. Yu. 2007. Energy, environment and development in Bhutan. Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Reviews 11 (9): 2083–2103.
Ura, Karma, and Ross MacDonald. 2011. Dasho Karma Ura (DKU) in Dialogue with Ross MacDonald (RM).
In Eleven Dialogs on Gross National Happiness. Centre for Bhutan Studies.
Wangchuk, Kesang, and Jigme Wangdi. 2015. Mountain pastoralism in transition: Consequences of
legalizing cordyceps collection on yak farming practices in Bhutan. Pastoralism: Research, Policy
and Practice 5 (4).
World Wildlife Fund. 2009. The Eastern Himalayas: Where Worlds Collide.
Xu, Jianchu, R. Edward Grumbine, Arun Shrestha, Mats Eriksson, Xuefei Yang, Yun Wang, and Andreas
Wilkes. 2009. The Melting Himalayas: Cascading effects of climate change on water, biodiversity,
and livelihoods. Conservation Biology 23 (3): 520–30.
Yangka, Dorji. 2015. Hydropower and the Bhutanese economy. Kuensel September 14th.
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