Rangelands occcur almost everywhere on land" surface of the Earth. In total, they cover about a quarter of the Earth" surface. According to some estimates, 70 per cent of the world"s total and area serves as rangelands. In the Himalayan areas, they occupy quite an appreciable proportion of the geographical area, ranging from some 60 to more than 80 per cent. Despite this dominance of the range ecosystems on Earth, they remain relatively less understood and grossly neglected in the policy framework and development interventions. Negligence of the largest chunk of Earth"s terrestrial ecosystems cost the whole planet. Dismal state of rangelands in the fragile and poverty ridden Himalaya is of grave concern. The present book is an attempt to bring to the fore the many facets of the Himalayan rangelands and to resolve the critical issues relating to their management. Rangelands, Croplands and livestock in the Himalayan mountains are integrated with considerable nutrient flows within a single function unit, the agro-ecosystem. Amongst these, rangelands serve as a storehouse of nutrients. The Himalayan rangelands are a rich natural repository of nature"s biodiversity. Their ecological role is critical to the very ecological integrity of the agro-ecosystems in the fragile mountains." Ecological and "economic" issues are inseparable. The economy emanates from the ecosystems. The largest ecosystems- the rangelands-are the most crucial once from the ecological integrity and, hence, from the economic point of view. Livelihoods of the masses in the Himalayan mountains are rooted in their rangeland ecosystems.