Experience With a Hard and Soft Participatory Modeling Framework for Social-ecological System Management in Mount Everest (Nepal) and K2 (Pakistan) Protected Areas

• Published in: Mountain research and development Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 80 - 93
• Main Authors: Salerno, Franco, Cuccillato, Emanuele, Caroli, Paolo, Bajracharya, Birendra, Manfredi, Emanuela Chiara, Viviano, Gaetano, Thakuri, Sudeep, Flury, Bastian, Basani, Marcello, Giannino, Francesco, Panzeri, Daniele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), Institute of Geography, University of Bern Hallerstrasse 10, CH–3012 Bern, Switzerland The International Mountain Society 01-05-2010; International Mountain Society
• Subjects: adaptive management; Cognitive models; Decision making; Ecosystem models; Environmental management; management-oriented research; Modeling; modeling scenarios; MountainDevelopment; National parks; Nature conservation; Parks & recreation areas; Protected areas; qualitative modeling; quantitative modeling; Research and development; social-ecological systems; Solid waste management; System dynamics; Tourism; Transformation knowledge; Asia, Himalaya Mts., Mount Everest; Nepal; Pakistan
• ISSN: 0276-4741; 1994-7151
• DOI: 10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-10-00014.1

High mountains have sensitive social-ecological systems (SESs) characterized by fragility, complexity, and marginality. The local economies of these environments mainly rely on primary production, tourism, and leisure activities; thus human–ecosystem interactions are intricately linked. Many authors stress that this strict relationship must be assisted with a participatory approach involving interested stakeholders in the conceptualization, specification, and synthesis of knowledge and experience into useable information for the express purpose of addressing a problem complex. This paper presents experience garnered with a participatory modeling framework combining hard and soft methodology in 2 case studies: the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (Nepal) and the Central Karakoram National Park (Pakistan). The modeling framework was developed based on local stakeholders' demands and needs; it consists of 5 modules, briefly presented here along with their conceptual background. In developing the framework, particular emphasis was given to considering the needs of decision-makers at the local level, rather than simply providing technical solutions to abstract problems. From the development of this modeling process, a need emerged to structure a management-oriented research module in order to generate management knowledge that is both stakeholder-relevant and evidence-based. The application of the framework in the 2 cases studies showed that the modeling can trigger valuable discussion among stakeholders as well as guidance for management-oriented research and feedback loops ensuring validation of knowledge. In addition, the resulting scenarios can help decision-makers in defining pathways for sustainable development in mountain areas, where people's livelihoods are closely dependent on ecosystems. The framework was developed in such a way that it can be replicated in other mountain areas with similar challenges.