Grasslands of the World.pdf - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP

S.G. REYNOLDS
Grassland perspectives 491
Plate 12.16b
Pilgrims at Lake Namtso.
subject to heavy tourist and pilgrim traffic on certain occasions and tented
encampments can spread out from the focal point to surrounding areas.
SOME CONCLUSIONS
The preceding chapters cover a very wide range of grassland types and
production systems . They demonstrate clearly that extensive grassland exists in
many forms and is exploited in many ways, and that each great group requires
its own way of management . This chapter does not attempt to summarize all
the conclusions that can be drawn from them, but some important ones are:
• Many grasslands are in poor condition . Most communally or traditionally
managed grasslands show some degree of degradation , and many are seriously
damaged.
• Modern technology allows relatively rapid assessment of herbage availability
and pasture cover, as well as the processing of this information. This
can be applied to commercially managed grasslands, but there are many
problems – logistical, social and economic – in getting such information to
traditional pastoralists and in their making use of it.
• Grasslands cover a very large proportion of the globe and are of primary
environmental importance, so their sustainable management is a matter of
widespread interest and is not limited to those who gain their livelihoods
therefrom. The general public benefits from the proper management of
catchments, landscapes for wildlife , tourism , conservation of biodiversity ,
recreation and hunting, but the management costs fall on the pastoralists be