Rangeland Conservation, Pastoralist Displacement, and Long-term Implications of a Grazing Ban in the Indian Himalaya

A grazing ban implemented in Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim, India, in 1998, led to pastoral evictions between 2000–2002 and had long-term social and ecological implications. Research conducted 15 years after the ban revealed that while powerful pastoralists benefited from conservation policies, weaker sections of the community faced further impoverishment. The study also found that such evictions do not necessarily aid biodiversity conservation but instead foster social conflicts and introduce new conservation challenges. The research assessed eviction processes, documented pastoral responses, and explored perceived ecological outcomes to understand these complex dynamics.

Singh, R., Bhutia, K. S., Bhutia, T. U., & Babu, S. (2022). Rangeland Conservation, Pastoralist Displacement, and Long-term Implications of a Grazing Ban in the Indian Himalaya. Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.37773/ees.v5i1.335