Course Form (revised 7-2008)
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
SOCON
Course Title
Course #
RECM/FOR/GPHY 352
Himalayan Environment and Development
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
Summarize the change(s) proposed
Himalayan Env. and Dev.
Requesting a permanent number and cross listing with
GPHY 352
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Requestor:
Keith Bosak
Phone/ email :
X6062
Program Chair/Director:
Mike Patterson
Other affected programs:
FOR/Don Potts
GPHY/Sarah Halvorson
Dean:
Jim Burchfield
Date
III: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into
section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits,
repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
RECM/FOR/GPHY 352 Himalayan Environment and development: Offered in summer only for 3
credits and is co-requisite to: RECM/FOR/GPHY 353 Tourism, Livelihoods and Sustainability in
the Himalaya. The course is repeatable and there are no prerequisites.
This course covers the contentious issues surrounding environment and development in the
Himalaya using the Garhwal region of India as the example. The Garhwal Himalaya contains
some of India's most sacred sites and mountains and is widely known for its biodiversity. The
region is also experiencing rapid economic development, particularly in the tourism and energy
sectors. We will spend much of our time in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, a major
protected area in this region that is known as one of the last great wilderness areas in the
Himalaya. The biosphere reserve is also populated by people who practice traditional livelihood
activities along side community-based eco-tourism. In addition, there are various development
projects taking place within the Biosphere Reserve, including major hydroelectric projects that
will displace local people. Students will learn through extensive readings, class discussions,
direct field experience (including living in a remote mountain village), meetings with
development officials, sustainability activists and stakeholders in the region.
Justification: How does the course fit with the existing curriculum? Why is it needed?
The course offers students the opportunity to expand their education and experience beyond the
boundaries of the Rocky Mountains so that they might broaden their perspectives on humanenvironment interactions. In addition, the course offers students the unique opportunity to spend
three weeks gaining field experience, speaking with local people, meeting with resource
managers and learning first-hand how resources are managed in a different cultural context.
Students also have the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time in the Nanda Devi
Biosphere reserve, one of the last great wilderness areas in the Himalaya, learning about
protected area management issues. All of these experiential learning opportunities support the
College of Forestry and Conservation’s strategic goal “to provide educational programs that
equip future leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to solve complex environmental
challenges by integrating teaching and scholarship to deliver the best education and training to
the next generation of conservation professionals…”
Are there curricular adjustments to accommodate teaching this course?
no
Complete for UG courses. (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment (Reference guidelines:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/committees/grad_council/procedures/gradIncrement.aspx)
Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific conditions determined by the
Board of Regents. Please indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
IV. To Delete or Change an Existing Course – check X all that apply
Deletion
Title
Course Number Change
From:
Level U, UG, G
To:
Description Change
Change in Credits
NO
From:
To:
Repeatability
Cross Listing
(primary program
initiates form)
Prerequisites
Is there a fee associated with the course?
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog 2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
From:
To:
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program &
course number
Have you reviewed the graduate increment
4. Graduate increment if level of course is changed
guidelines? Please check (X) space provided.
to UG. Reference guidelines at:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/committees
/grad_council/procedures/gradIncrement.aspx
(syllabus required in section V)
5. Other programs affected by the change
6. Justification for proposed change
V. Syllabus/Assessment Information
Required for new courses and course change from U to UG. Paste syllabus in field below or attach and
send digital copy with form.
See attached syllabus
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list
course number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of
proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.
Himalayan Environment and Development
FOR / RECM / GPHY 352
Summer 2010
Co-requisite with Tourism, Livelihoods and Sustainability in the Himalaya
FOR / RECM / GPHY 353
Instructors:
Keith Bosak
keith.bosak@umontana.edu
(406) 243-6062
Course Description:
This course covers the contentious issues surrounding environment and development in the Himalaya using
the Garhwal region of India as the model for larger issues in this region. The Garhwal Himalaya contains
some of India's most sacred sites and mountains and is widely known for its biodiversity. The region is also
experiencing rapid economic development, particularly in the tourism and energy sectors.
We will spend much of our time in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, a major protected area in this
region that is known as one of the last great wilderness areas in the Himalaya. The biosphere reserve is also
populated by people who practice traditional livelihood activities along side community-based eco-tourism.
In addition, there are various development projects taking place within the Biosphere Reserve, including
major hydroelectric projects that will displace local people.
After familiarizing ourselves with the unique physical and cultural geography of mountain regions, we will
explore conservation and development perspectives affecting this region from the global to the local with a
focus on theories of ecological crisis and the response. Students will learn through extensive readings, class
discussions, direct field experience (including living in a remote mountain village), meetings with
development officials, sustainability activists and stakeholders in the region.
Learning Objectives:

Students will be introduced to the physical and cultural geography of the Himalaya in general and
the Garhwal region specifically.

Students will experience and understand the complexities of mountain environments and emerging
development issues. This will include the physical and cultural geography of the Himalaya in
general and the Garhwal region specifically.

Students will become informed on the issues relating to resource use and conservation in the
Himalaya. These include theories of ecological crisis and the response.

Students will explore ideas of resource management and conservation as they relate to parks and
protected areas.

Students will become familiar with the tensions between conservation and development through the
example of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.

Students will gain an appreciation for a traditional mountain culture.

Students will develop confidence in their ability to adapt to a variety of challenging settings.
Summary of Course Requirements:

Students will complete the assigned pre-departure readings from the Blackboard course supplement
in the two weeks prior to departure and take a quiz designed to test their understanding of the topics
covered in the readings.

Students will be expected to read the assigned readings prior to that day’s discussion/lecture so that
they may participate.

While in India students will keep a daily journal that they will turn in on the final day of class.
Journals should include citations from the readings. This means you will need to relate the readings
to what you are experiencing on a daily basis.

Students will choose an important natural resource in the region and document its uses,
management and any conflicts that occur from it and will present their findings to the class in a
formal presentation.

Students will also be graded on their participation, expedition behavior and personal conduct in the
course. This includes participation in daily discussion sessions.

Students will develop a topic and gather information for a research paper while in India. The paper
should be turned in within 10 days from the last date of the course and should cover a topic not
otherwise addressed in the course but pertinent to environment and development in the region. The
paper will be a minimum of 2000 words with correct grammar and citations. The formal paper
assignment will be given during the first class period.
Grading:
Quiz on pre-departure readings
Daily journal assignments
Resource project
Journal spot checks
Student Research Paper
Participation/personal conduct
10%
20%
20%
25%
10%
15%
Required Texts/Readings:
Mountain Studies
Allan, N., Knapp, G and C. Stadel eds. 1987. Human Impact on Mountains. Lanham,
Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield publishers. (chapters 1-4).
Bernbaum, E. 1997. “The Spiritual and Cultural Significance of Mountains.” In
Mountains of the World. New York: Parthenon Publishing Group.
Himalaya
Zurick, D and Karan, P.P. 2000. Himalaya: Life on the edge of the world. Baltimore and
London: The John Hopkins University Press. (chapters 1-3 and 8-11).
Himalayan dilemma
Ives, J and B. Messerli. 1989. The Himalayan Dilemma. New York: Routledge.
(Introduction)
Brower, B. 2000. “Environmental Crisis in Nepal.” Seminar. 486.
Parks and protected areas
Southworth, J. et al. 2006 “Introduction to the special issue: Are parks working? Exploring
human-environment tradeoffs in protected area conservation.” Applied Geography 26: 87-95.
Krishna, A.P. et al. 2002. “Human Dimensions of Conservation in the Khangchendzonga
Biosphere Reserve.” Mountain Research and Development 22(4): 328-331.
Environment and development in the Garhwal region
Bandyopadhyay, J. 1999. “Chipko Movement: Of Floated Myths and Flouted
Realities.” Economic and Political Weekly. 34(15): 880-883.
Maikhuri, R.K. S. Nautiyal, K.S. Rao and K.G. Saxena. 2001. Conservation PolicyPeople Conflicts: A Case Study From Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, India.”
Forest Policy and Economics. 2: 355-365.
Pearce, F. 1991. Building a Disaster: The Monumental Folly of India's Tehri Dam.” The
Ecologist. 21(3): 123-128.
Rao, K.S. Sunil Nautiyal, Rakesh K. Maikhuri, Krishna Gopal Saxena. 2000.
“Management Conflicts in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, India.” Mountain
Research and Development. 20(4): 320-323.
Sabharwal, A. 1999. “Twice Unlucky.” Down to Earth. 8(15): 23-25.
Sethi, N. 2001. “Shrouded in Controversy.” Down to Earth. 10(9): 19-21.
Silori, C. S. and Badola, R. 2000. “Medicinal Plant Cultivation and
Sustainable Development: A Case Study in the Buffer Zone of the Nanda Devi
Biosphere Reserve, Western Himalaya, India.” Mountain Research and Development. 20(3): 272279
A Note on Conduct:
We will be living in a group setting in remote and high altitude environments and as travelers we will be
representing both our group and our country. Therefore, personal conduct is integral for a safe and
rewarding trip. We will educate you on proper expedition behavior and expect you to follow the guidelines
set forth. Students are expected to refrain from abusive drinking and illicit drug use. Students will also be
expected to respect the cultural norms of India and act accordingly. We will not tolerate inappropriate
behavior.