Managing renewable natural resources in hillside and mountain areas is critical to sustaining these resources and the livelihood opportunities they present, especially to marginal farmers. This publication presents the findings of a Symposium and Research Workshop on Renewable Natural Resources Management for Mountain Communities held in Nepal in 2003. The papers describe the results of research undertaken by ICIMOD's People and Resource Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds Project (PARDYP) and the Natural Resources Systems Programme Hillsides (NRSP) of the Department for International Development (UK) (DFID) in the highlands of the Himalayas, the Andes, and Africa. The book looks at generic issues in watershed management and presents a series of case studies on a range of natural resource management issues and themes including: the role of participation in developing and promoting hillside farming strategies; issues such as water management, common property, and land rehabilitation; and techniques, tools, and interventions to address declining soil fertility. The central theme of the case studies is finding ways of bringing together farmers and scientists knowledge and ensuring participation of farmers at all stages of technology development. Finally, a platform is proposed for generating new research and bridging gaps in current projects.