The Living Plateau is about interventions by a development project for the improvement of the livelihood of sheep and yak herders on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, near the source of China's three main rivers. Between 1995 and 2000, this project facilitated activities of researchers, of provincial, county, and township development officers, of herder representatives, and of teachers of a training institute, aimed at bringing about such improvements. The outcome of these efforts was critically reviewed at the end of the project, in order to document and share with other projects and organisations, the findings and lessons learnt and the priorities conceived for future action. The document first takes stock of rangeland and livestock resources and it describes the socioeconomic situation of herders in Guoluo Prefecture. It then summarises the outcome of field trials and technical interventions in the area of rangeland rehabilitation, the control of rodents, rangeland revegetation, seeded perennial forage and cereal fodders, the control of parasites in yak and sheep, and the control of young stock diseases. It further addresses the experiences of disseminating findings through extension services, and it reviews extension education and methodology development, including experiences with participatory rural appraisals. Finally it proposes priorities for future initiatives in research, extension, and general support to development.