Dealing with two antagonist conservation targets: sustaining pastoral livelihoods while protecting the Himalayan juniper in sub-alpine grasslands of Bhutan

Grassland loss in the Himalayan region poses a significant threat to both biodiversity and traditional pastoral livelihoods. This study focuses on a conservation method aiming to restore encroached sub-alpine grasslands without clearing the invading trees which belong to a protected species - the Himalayan juniper ( Juniperus recurva ). An experiment of opening the encroached grasslands by pruning the juniper was conducted in Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (JSWNP), Bhutan. Using a transect-based survey and historical imagery, we quantified the extent of grassland encroachment in the last decades. We then experimentally assessed grassland vegetation responses to three levels of juniper pruning intensity over a three-year period (2021–2023). The results indicated a 21.7% reduction in grassland area from 2011 to 2023, with J. recurva gradually replacing open grasslands. Across all plots, a total of 125 plant species were recorded. Pruning was associated with enhanced recruitment of grassland specialists. The highest species turnover occurred in areas with heavy pruning, where branches were removed to three meters from ground level, indicating that canopy opening can promote a more heterogeneous understorey community in encroached grasslands. The pruned areas also exhibited an increasing trend in the abundance of palatable biomass as compared to the control, highlighting its potential to maintain traditional pastoral practices. All pruned junipers survived without visible health decline during the study period. These findings suggest that selective juniper pruning can promote short-term grassland recovery and improve forage quality while retaining the protected tree species. However, longer-term monitoring is required to assess delayed tree responses and landscape-scale compositional dynamics. This study provides critical insights for developing conservation strategies to preserve Bhutan’s sub-alpine grasslands and support the resilience of pastoral communities.