Land restoration in the Himalayan Region: Steps towards biosphere integrity

Abstract

The recent declaration of 'UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration' recognizes the need to massively accelerate global restoration of degraded and human altered ecosystems to provide multiple environmental benefits, including mitigation of climate change impacts. Commitment to various global obligations like UNCCD and SDG-15 to achieve land degradation neutrality, sustainable land management and enhanced resilience of vulnerable populations and ecosystems requires concerted efforts at national, regional and local levels. In view of strengthening the efforts towards achieving the land neutrality the present study attempts to provide the status of 8 restoration sites located across sub-tropical to temperate region of Pithoragarh and Champawat districts in west Himalaya, which now contributes to ex-situ and in-situ biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, soil conservation and sustenance of local inhabitants, etc. The results of survival percentage revealed that most of the species planted at Jajut site showed better survival with an average of 69% as compared to Digtoli (59%) and Naikina (62%) after 3 years of plantation. Quercus leucotrichophora showed maximum survival percentage (72%) at all the sites followed by Q. glauca (63%), whereas minimum survival (49%) was observed in Zanthoxylum armatum at Naikina site. At Champawat site, height of all planted species increased significantly (p < 0.05) in 2021 as compared to 2011. The carbon stock value increased from 40.02 Mg ha−1 in 2011–65.53 Mg ha−1 in 2021. Increase in carbon stock and carbon sequestration in restoration areas over past 10 years shows higher potential of native species for carbon storage and prospective role of restoration sites in long term carbon sink. The study also attempts to bring the results of restoration activities, implications and benefits to draw some prescription to support the policy and practice interface. The mentioned case studies would be helpful to understand the good practices of restoration for ecological & socio-economic connect, and furtherance of efforts towards land restoration and biosphere integrity across Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).