Appropriate management of rangeland on the Tibetan Plateau for sustainable yak rearing

Summary The yak is a unique animal that is indigenous to the Tibetan Plateau and its rangeland. And yet rangeland on the plateau is a marginalized sector and needs to be managed properly. Appropriate rangeland management requires better understanding of rangeland ecosystem dynamics, land tenure issues, local community’s high dependency on rangeland, the need of public participation in rangeland management process, and important role of indigenous knowledge on sustainable rangeland management. This paper elucidates that co-management is the appropriate way for managing rangeland resources toward end goals of environmental conservation and sustainable yak husbandry for equitable pastoral development.