Threatened Tree Species of the Western Ghats: Status, Diversity and Conservation

Abstract

India has been known worldwide for her rich cultural heritage, natural resources and biological diversity since ancient times. The country exhibits a variety of zones and coastlines with various ecological habitats resulting in vast richness in her floristic wealth. There are four biodiversity hotspots in our country namely the Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Sundalands and the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats has received wide conservation and research interest globally. Geologically older than the Himalayas, the Western Ghats are a chain of low mountains running 1600 km parallel to India’s western coast. They have some of the finest non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests in the world with very high levels of speciation and endemism. They shelter at least 352 endemic trees of which 325 are globally threatened including 51 that are critically endangered. This irreplaceable biodiversity and ecosystem service values of the Western Ghats are threatened by a variety of human pressures. Land use changes caused by increasing population, agricultural expansion, infrastructural development along with intensive harvesting for fuel-wood, bark, leaves, fruits, exudates, etc. have contributed to the loss of biodiversity. This rich biodiversity has to be conserved, while providing adequate opportunities for livelihood security of the local people. We need to develop strategies for shielding whatever is left of the Western Ghats. There is an international effort to identify tree species that face extinction in order to make conservation efforts more efficient. Data on tree species and their distribution in the Western Ghats are increasingly available. Realizing its value, conservation efforts are on for many species. This chapter is an attempt to present threatened tree species largely found only in the Western Ghats, which form an integral part of the livelihood of the dwellers, and are fast dwindling. Different conservation strategies, which could be adopted to safeguard these treasures for posterity, are also presented.