Community Based Biodiversity Conservation In The Himalayas

Conservation of biodiversity by local communities has been part of the social system in the Himalayas. A variety of ecosystems are conserved traditionally by local communities. These communities are fully aware of the relationship between protecting the nature and getting ecosystem goods and services. The van panchayat system in Uttarakhand and sacred natural sites all over the Himalayas suggest a mix of the institutions in the region. Globally, community conserved areas (CCAs) are gaining importance. Biodiversity Heritage Sites, Community Reserves, and Conservation Reserves are the new institutional legal provisions that recognize the efforts of local communities in biodiversity conservation in India. The present volume highlights the importance of the existing systems in terms of their role in biodiversity conservation with community participation and suggests ways to enhance community-based biodiversity conservation in light of the emerging policy provisions. It would serve as an important reference for a wide range of stakeholders, from policy-makers to environmentalists, biodiversity experts, development practitioners, academicians, and researchers.

Located in the heart of the Eastern Himalayas, Bhutan practices the philosophy of Gross National Happiness (“GNH”) that embraces environmental conservation as one of the main building blocks for its sustainable development goals. Bhutan’s conservation strategies and success are largely driven by the strong political will and visionary leadership of His Majesty the King of Bhutan The nation’s Buddhist perspectives regarding a deep and abiding respect for nature; and the strategic enforcement of a wide-ranging stringent set of internal regulations and controls have helped ensure ecological gold standards in Bhutan. Moreover, the country is an active member of the international conservation community by fulfilling its implementation of various Multilateral Environment Agreements. While it emerged into the 21st century as one of the 36 global terrestrial “hotspots” in biological diversity conservation ranks, Bhutan’s sheer commitment with more than 51% of its territory being managed under the explicit status of a protected area network, and more than 70% of the land under forest cover, represents Bhutan’s exemplary dedication to protect the planet despite its smallness in size and economy, and the biological fragility exemplified by its hotspot situation. In the face of imminent severe threats of global warming, Bhutan nonetheless exemplifies the truth that “a small country with a big conservation commitment” can make an enormous contribution to the global community. At the regional level, Bhutan is intent upon protecting the Water Towers of Asia (that glacial expanse of the Himalayas) which is a critical resource bulwark for about one-fifth of the global population downstream in South Asia. Such protections invariably help mitigate climate change by acting as a nation-wide carbon sink through its carbon neutral policies. In short, Bhutan has long represented one of the world’s foremost national guardians of biodiversity conservation, ecological good governance, and societal sustainability at a period when the world has entered the Anthropocene – an epoch of mass extinctions. We envision this publication to be ecologically and ethically provocative and revealing for the concerned scientific communities, and governments. Through an extensive review of the scientific and anthropological literature, as well as the research team's own data, the Author's have set forth timely recommendations for conservation policies, strategies and actions. This book provides technical and deeply considered assessments of the state of Bhutan’s environment, its multiple, human-induced stressors and pressures; as well as extremely sound, practical techniques that would address conservation strategies in the Himalayas and, by implication, worldwide.

"The book has relevance to academics, scholars, administrators, policy experts, anthropologists, sociologists, development scientists, environmentalists as well as anyone interested in the welfare of communities residing in the vicinity of a Protected Area. It stands out as a work that will stand the test of time and should be an asset that many would like to keep. Dr. Abhik Ghosh Professor and Chairperson Department of Anthropology Panjab University Chandigarh This book is an excellent compilation of the outcome of the intense research work undertaken in the emerging field of Community Based Ecotourism Management at The UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Great Himalayan National Park and it will certainly be useful to provide necessary information, future research, road map and guidelines for all the stakeholders for effective planning and implementation of sustainable ecotourism. Ajay Srivastav Faculty, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun Former Director, Great Himalayan National Park"

This book presents some results on selected taxa in the Himalayan region (mainly Nepal), pinpoints the threats to their survival and suggests ways how to avoid their extinction. Most chapters are based on graduate research projects – relatively long-term field studies. The data presented here can be a good source of updated information on the subject and will prove to be a very useful reference in future studies of Himalayan biodiversity. They also tend to pinpoint the existing gaps in our knowledge of this region. All the chapters are based on recent trends of biodiversity and conservation vision, so the book can be a potential alternative to the existing relatively older books with outdated vision and information. Its main goal, however, is to disseminate the information about biodiversity conservation problems in the Himalayan region among the people in the developed world.

Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources has remained one of the key challenges for development agencies and concerned stakeholders for decades together. The huge threat of climate change has only added to this complexity. In this context, the present book Biodiversity, Community, and Climate Change is designed to help in guiding the various principles of biodiversity conservation, effects of climate change and role of communities at various levels and landscapes. A total of 19 chapters are covered in this book and they encompass a wide range of topics including tools of biodiversity assessment ranging from conventional ecological and social survey methods to the use of latest technology such as Geographical Information System (GIS) and remote sensing.

Ethnobotany of India: Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas is the 4th volume of the 5-volume set, an informative book series on the ethnobotanical aspects of India. The books cover different regions, including Volume 1: Eastern Ghats and Deccan Volume 2: Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India Volume 3: North-East India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas Volume 5: The Indo-Gangetic Region Each volume looks at the important ethnic plants of the specific region. Volume 4 covers the Western and Central Himalayas, the well-known mountain range on the Indian subcontinent. The unique flora and fauna of the Himalayas are varied, affected by climate, rainfall, altitude, and soils, and are vulnerable to impacts from climate change. The editors espouse that because indigenous non-Western societies form the vast majority of people now as well as in the past, a study of their plant interrelationships is necessary, and India is one of the most important regions of the old world for its ancient and culturally rich and diverse knowledge of ethnobotany. With this in mind, these volumes share a great deal of information that will be valuable to plant botanists and others working in and interested in ethnobotany. This important volume covers the ethnobotanical aspects of many plants of the region. It looks at ethnic diversity of people ethnic food plants and food preparation ethnomedical aspects of plants psychedelic plants and their possible link to soma, a vedic ritual drink whose plant origins are a mystery ethnoveterinary medicinal plants ethno-conservation practices biodiversity heritage sites The volume includes the details of the plants used, their scientific names, the parts used, and how the plants are used, providing the what, how, and why of plant usage. The book is well illustrated with 20 color and 67 b/w illustrations. Together, the five volumes in the Ethnobotany of India series presents the available ethnobotanical knowledge of India in one place. India’s ancient and culturally rich and diverse information and use of ethnobotany will be valuable to those in the fields of botany and plant sciences, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, nutraceuticals, and others. The books also consider the threat to plant biodiversity imposed by environmental degradation, which impacts cultural diversity.