Through both literature review and actual field experimentation, this thesis explores the methodologies used in international development projects to help planners understand rural agro-ecosystems and the underlying human motivations which shape resource use. The review of field methodologies spans the mid-1970's to the present, describing the evolution of three major modes of field research: Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA), Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Gender Analysis (GA). This 1995 case study, conducted in a heavily deforested region of the Indian Himalaya, illustrates some, mapping, diagramming and interviewing techniques which are core elements of these modes. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed from the perspective of an "outsider" encountering a very different social, cultural, economic and ecological setting. The final summary organizes the techniques discussed by function, and poses questions for further consideration.