Traditional Practices in Forest Conservation: Experience from Indian Himalaya

Abstract

The involvement of local people and their knowledge/experience of resource values and management options have an important role to play for forest conservation. Simultaneously to conserve forest resources, the role of cultural and spiritual values becomes of prime importance. These community conserved sites of Garhwal Himalaya are very important from the conservation viewpoint of plant species diversity and dependence of the local inhabitants for their livelihood activities like collection of fuelwood, fodder, small timber, and NTFP. The Uttarakhand state, also called `Dev Bhumi’ or abode of Gods, is unique in this regard. The landscape in this state is dotted with many holy places of worship. These places are often of small to medium-sized with natural vegetation as a sacred grove of the deity. The present book chapter has given the status of some community-conserved forests sites from Garhwal Himalaya for its contribution in plant diversity conservation, regeneration of the tree species, ecosystem services/biodiversity value, and role of belief systems in conservation practices. Article 8 (j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity calls for respecting, preserving, and maintaining knowledge, innovations, and practices of indigenous and local communities 216embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of Biological diversity according to the national legislation. In this context, sacred conservation practices assume particular importance. The present book chapter highlights status of some community-conserved forests having religious significance apart from getting conservation from communities from Garhwal Himalaya for its contribution in plant diversity conservation, regeneration of the tree species, ecosystem services/biodiversity value, and role of belief systems in conservation practices.