Huxuan Dai

My PhD research topic is the adaptive management of the Tibetan pastoral social-ecological system facing the challenge of grassland degradation.

Grassland degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) has got increasing ecological concern and restoration investment. From the social­–ecological system perspective, the engagement of the local community underlines the success of top-down implemented ecosystem restoration programs. However, in practice, novel scientific restoration approaches can hardly be adopted by the locals, especially when they contradict the local cultural context. My research explores the social learning process during QTP grassland restoration with varied levels of community engagement. I use questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews to reveal the action barriers related to local worldview, value and knowledge system, and institutions. The results will facilitate the development of community-inclusive ecological restoration policies for the QTP region.