People’s perceptions of their environment

in high mountain rangelands ultimately

affect the fragile ecosystems on which

they depend, and thus their welfare. This is

especially true in developing countries,

where the livelihoods of people living in such ecosystems depend on grazing

livestock. The present study, conducted in the central mountain region of Peru, used photographs and Q methodology to investigate the criteria and preferences that shepherds and local administrators apply in making

The use of participatory tools and methods has increased dramatically in

natural resource management (NRM) over the past decade, largely because of

the recognition that sustainable NRM cannot be achieved without involving the

individuals and communities who make decisions about how resources are

used. Participation of resource users and other stakeholders is important not

only in the management of resources, but also in research oriented toward the

generation of information and innovations that shape how resources are