Greetings, eForesters!

I'm PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, in
Environmental Science, Policy and Management. I have been interested
in the role of religion in environmental conservation for several
years, and am hoping to conduct my dissertation research in Bhutan.
Specifically, I would like to examine the role of deity citadels, or
nyes, in shaping perceptions of the natural environment and possibly
contributing to conservation behaviors. I am interested in the ways
that these perceptions may change as people migrate to urban areas,
and participate more widely in the global commercial culture.

I am writing to seek your suggestions about this project. I would be
most grateful if you could suggest people I should interview,
particular gewogs or villages that would be good locations to base my
research, and/or previous research on similar topics. I would like
to collaborate with a Bhutanese natural ecologist to examine the
ecological and biological characteristics of the nyes. I have
secured funding from my university for several months of overseas
research which will allow me to hire a part-time assistant. I have
also been studying Tibetan language, and hope to use this background
to learn and use Dzongkha while I am in Bhutan. I am also in search
of an appropriate agency to sponsor my visa for about six months of
research. I am hoping to begin research this fall, by mid-Sept. or
early Oct.

Looking forward to your comments -
best wishes,
Elizabeth Allison
UC Berkeley, California, USA