Experience With a Hard and Soft Participatory Modeling Framework for Social-ecological System Management in Mount Everest (Nepal) and K2 (Pakistan) Protected Areas

A participatory modeling framework combining hard and soft methodologies has been successfully applied in two high-altitude protected areas, Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) and Central Karakoram National Park (Pakistan), to address complex social-ecological challenges. This approach, tailored to local stakeholders' needs, facilitates collaborative knowledge synthesis and problem-solving, fostering sustainable development pathways. The framework's five modules enable evidence-based management decisions while ensuring stakeholder relevance through iterative feedback loops. Notably, the model triggers valuable discussions among stakeholders, guiding research and policy efforts in fragile mountain ecosystems where livelihoods are deeply intertwined with ecological systems. Its adaptability suggests potential for replication in similar contexts globally.

Salerno, F., Cuccillato, E., Caroli, P., Bajracharya, B., Manfredi, E. C., Viviano, G., Thakuri, S., Flury, B., Basani, M., Giannino, F., & Panzeri, D. (2010). Experience With a Hard and Soft Participatory Modeling Framework for Social-ecological System Management in Mount Everest (Nepal) and K2 (Pakistan) Protected Areas. Mountain Research and Development, 30(2), 80. https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd-journal-d-10-00014.1