Pastoralism and Rangeland Management on the Tibetan Plateau in ...

7 Panel <strong>and</strong> Group
Discussions
7.1 Summary of Panel Discussion on Functions
<strong>and</strong> Values of <strong>Pastoralism</strong> <strong>and</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>
<strong>Management</strong>
Nyima Tashi, the vice president of Tibetan Academy for Agricultural <strong>and</strong>
Animal Science, hosted this workshop as its chairman. Firstly, seven specialists
who had given presentations earlier in the day introduced themselves briefly,
providing information on their backgrounds, fields of research <strong>and</strong> experience.
The specialists included Dr. Yang Yongping, Dr. Yi Shaoliang, Prof. Dr. Hermann
Kreutzmann, Mr. Izhar Ali Hunzai, Mr. Uday Ch<strong>and</strong>ra Thakur, Prof.
Danba <strong>and</strong> Mr. Liu Jianli.
Following the introduction, the chairman shifted the topic to the functions <strong>and</strong>
values of rangel<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> requested each specialist to speak about two functions
which they think are important. Dr. Yang Yongping said that the rangel<strong>and</strong>s
can provide a habitat for biodiversity <strong>and</strong> protect water resources. Dr. Yi
Shaoliang gave two functions: livestock production <strong>and</strong> environmental protection.
Prof. Dr. Hermann Kreutzmann spoke out about ecological stability <strong>and</strong>
human adaptation. Mr. Izhar Ali Hunzai explained the functions as relating
to the survival of human beings <strong>and</strong> traditional cultures. Mr. Uday Ch<strong>and</strong>ra
Thakur pointed out the functions of organic farming <strong>and</strong> traditional knowledge
transmission. Prof. Danba understood the functions from his experience,
<strong>and</strong> included the basic factors for production of the caterpillar fungus <strong>and</strong>
regulation of the climate. Mr. Liu Jianli thought the functions of rangel<strong>and</strong>s in
Xinjiang Province included storing water, stabilising soil <strong>and</strong> preventing s<strong>and</strong>
storms.
After a summary of all of functions of rangel<strong>and</strong>s by the chairman, the discussion
was continued <strong>and</strong> each specialist was asked to list the two main values of
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