Processes of forest and pasture management in a Jirel community of highland Nepal

This dissertation examines the complex, diverse, and dynamic processes of managing the use and availability of forest and pasture resources as conceptualized, practiced, adapted, and evaluated by Jirel people of highland Nepal over the last 200 years. For the research, I lived in a Jirel village for 18 months, observed and interviewed people in their own settings, collected historical materials, and conducted sample surveys and physical measurements when appropriate. By analyzing the impacts of Jirel symbol systems, social organization, household strategies, and external linkages on forest and pasture management, I conclude that Jirel have maintained a near balance between their needs for and the availability of wood and fodder resources. Shortage of labor during the rainy season, scarcity of fodder in the winter, and unequal distribution of resource ownership are three major constraints to Jirel management systems. Jirel try to cope with these constraints by redistributing access, costs, and risks in the community. Jirel reciprocity serves both self-interest and generosity, and sustains their relationships with fellow human beings, supernatural forces, and natural resources.;Prevailing conditions, institutions, opportunities, and strategies help Jirel economize on the use of resources, meet essential needs, and protect the resource base simultaneously. Throughout history Jirel were granted considerable autonomy to use and protect forests and pastures in exchange for their services for the royal herds. Private titles, joint ownership, usufruct, and communal rights effectively regulate Jirel motivations, use patterns, social equity, protection methods, and sanction structures. Jirel plant trees, harvest from annual increments, allow resources time to repair, and utilize substitutes. Most Jirel live in ground-floor huts; burn twigs, dead wood, and recycled materials for fuel; feed leafy growths and crop residue to their livestock; practice rotational and selective methods of harvesting; and apply restriction signs to protect resources. Recent off-farm employment opportunities have effectively reduced the need for clearing forests and pastures for food production.