Himalayan Degradation

`This is an important book that deserves to be read by everyone concerned with presenting major environmental issues.' Geography ` ... an essential text for policy makers and aid professionals, as well as for students of environmental studies and international development ... It is indeed, a book appropriate to the urgent and critical issues which it addresses.' - Journal of Environmental Management

Himalayan Degradation, Colonial Forestry and Environmental Change in India questions the recent trend of treating environmental and agrarian concerns as two separate domains. In this aspect, the book goes beyond the existing framework of environmental history that focuses only on the study of state policies and debates over redefining rights and examining protests. The author makes a careful study of the larger rural economy, emphasising the changing significance of pastoralism, trade and foraging in the life of the common people. He links forest degradation and environmental change to socioeconomic transformation. The introduction of 'scientific forestry' in the late nineteenth century transformed forests into a profitable resource for commercial purposes. Forests were overexploited, which resulted in wider ecological changes in the Himalaya . Underlining the centrality of forests and mountain resources to the livelihood and culture of the people of Uttarakhand, the book subjects the notion of sustainable management of forests to close scrutiny. The book will be of interest to historians, environmentalists, policy-makers, social scientists and general readers.

The book focuses on environment and conservation issues pertaining to the Himalayas, spanning Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Myanmar. Environmental degradation, changes in snow cover and glaciers in India-Bhutan, threats to protected areas, and biodiversity in this ecologically fragile region are assessed in twelve distinct, regional case studies.

Volume 1: Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Forests and Climate is aimed to describe the recent progress and developments of geospatial technologies (remote sensing and GIS) for assessing, monitoring and managing fragile Himalayan ecosystems and their sustainability under climate change. It is a collective research contribution from renowned researchers and academicians working in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) mountain range. The Himalayas ecosystems have been facing substantial transformation due to severe environmental conditions, land transformation, forest degradation and fragmentation. The authors utilized satellite datasets and algorithms to discuss the intricacy of land use/land cover change, forest and agricultural ecosystems, canopy height estimation, above-ground biomass, wildfires, carbon sequestration, and landscape restoration. Furthermore, the potential impacts of climate change on ecosystems, biodiversity and future food and nutritional security are also addressed including the impact on the livelihood of people of the Himalayas. This comprehensive Handbook explains the advanced geospatial technologies for mapping and management of natural resources of the Himalayas. Key Features Explains multiple aspects of geospatial technologies for studying fragile Himalayan ecosystems and sustainability Focuses on the utility of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) modeling for canopy height Explain how remote sensing techniques are useful for deriving the above-ground biomass, gross primary productivity (GPP), and carbon fluxes Addresses how geospatial technologies are valuable for understanding vegetation dynamics, composition and landscape restoration due to shifts in timberline and forest fires Includes contributions from global professionals working in the HKH mountain range Readership The Handbook serves as a valuable reference for students, researchers, scientists, ecologists, agricultural scientists, meteorologists, decision makers and all others who wish to advance their knowledge on vegetation remote sensing considering climate change in the HKH region.

This book examines the unique characteristics of the Himalaya that mark them as a special region among other orographic regions of the world. The Himalayan range is an important global asset for ecological, climatic, cultural, spiritual, and economic reasons. Its diversity of landscapes, climates, and biotic systems makes the Himalaya an extremely attractive region for tourism. The book examines tourism and development in the Himalaya region, exploring its sociocultural, environmental, and economic dimensions. The contributors address Himalayan issues from a holistic perspective, emphasizing the uniqueness of the region, together with concerns it shares with other montane, developing parts of the world. With a framework of sustainable development, this book elucidates interdisciplinary perspectives on nature, society, economic development, poverty, justice, health, social and environmental vulnerability, faith and culture, Indigenous rights, women, conflict, heritage and living culture, and many other concepts that broaden our understanding of tourism and development in mountain areas. Many contributors are from the Himalaya region, or have worked there extensively, lending strength through native and insider perspectives. This work will be useful for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, research and teaching scholars, policy makers, practitioners, and anyone interested in the Himalaya and their distinctive tourism and development-related potential and challenges.

This book focuses on the nature and properties of soils of Hindu Kush-Himalayas and their management for agricultural land use. It discusses all aspects of climatic variations and potential of resources in the Himalayan region including examples from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China (Tibet), India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. Chapters cover the geology of the parent material of native soils, soils microbes, flora and fauna. Soil classification has been given in detail to better understand the nature of soils for judicious management strategies. The authors present land use practices and suggestions for changes in land use to benefit from the full potential of the soils in this region. Their ultimate aim is to find ways of feeding the ever-increasing population and raising the standard of life for the people living in the Himalayan mountain region.