Abstract
The present study was carried out in six temple forest landscapes in Garhwal Himalayan region of Uttarakhand State in India. The six studied landscapes fall within the four districts of Garhwal Himalaya and are dominated by temperate vegetation. Biodiversity value and ecosystem services provided by these forests are based on both, discussions with local inhabitants and secondary available literature. A total of 257 plant species representing 179 genera belonging to 77 families were recorded from study area. Maximum number of species 119 were present in Ansuiya Devi, whereas lowest 80 were present in Chanderbadni. Out of 201 plant species, having different biodiversity value, 121 are of medicinal importance. Presence of sacred entities has reduced the utilization pressure of resources like fuel wood, fodder and timber from these forests. However the services provided by these landscapes in the form of ecotourism, cultural and traditional heritage conservation may benefit them in sustainable utilization of resources in future.
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