The presence of nomadic herders on the edge of Bhutan's northern belt protects the mountain resources from any potential external exploitations and encroachments, safeguarding border security (MOAF 2017; Namgay et al. 2017; Wangdi 2016).
Ever since Russia acquired these territories, there have been recurring worries that they are at the risk of being lost due to external aggression, foreign encroachment, internal separatism -- or a combination of the three.
In the last five decades, traditional management practices in the study area are greatly affected by external development interventions, bush encroachment by Prosopis juliflora, conflict over resources and drought-related climatic impacts.
External threats from agricultural intensification, fire encroachment, species invasion and illegal harvesting present major conservation challenges in isolated tropical forest remnants.
Seen in isolation, these commercial encroachments seem innocuous enough.
China rarely deploys its armed forces in these creeping encroachments.
The independent-minded Kasaians may not welcome encroachments by anybody.
