evidence: In the highlands of Haa, in the far western region of the country, a pastoral district exists called Shokuna, which is encompassed by the Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve. The area is predominantly used during the monsoon season (June-September), which provides the warmest temperatures in the year allowing herds to access higher altitude grasses. Traditional forms of land allocation persist despite the dramatic decrease of herders and herd size. Prime pastures are redistributed every five years through ritual dice casting (sho), with the champion claiming first choice of the area's resources. This communal decision-making and use of land are indicative of the community relations that the herders in the region share. Modern policies stipulating land rights are not required and would likely disrupt social relations. As Rowbotham comments in regards to land tenure, "people simply cannot be expected to adhere to traditional cultures and values if the link between land, labour and community is drastically or rapidly altered" (2004: 187). To date, the Forest-Park staff that monitor the region have largely respected these traditional practices. [...] Tshewang P.. History of Has(Ha) Valley Journal of Bhutan Studies. 2001;5:50–56