Major Resource Use from Protected Areas by Local Communities: A Case of Harvesting Medicinal Plants in and Around Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary

The present study was conducted in the Thalisain block of Pauri Garhwal to document the medicinal plants used by the local communities. 53 plant species distributed in 38 families were documented. Of the total plant species 49% were herbs, 26% trees, 23% shrubs and 2% climbers. 16 different plant parts were used by local communities for different ailments. Medicinal plants were widely used by major sections of the community against common colds, cough, skin diseases, snake bite, fever, joint pains, bronchitis etc. Women and local healers called vaids have a vital role in environmental management due to traditional knowledge and use of plants as medicine with undocumented knowledge. It has been observed as one of the best option of sustainable livelihoods for the residents of the area.

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Diversity of Medicinal Plants among Different Tree Canopies

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052640 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2640

Author(s):

Muhammad Zubair ◽

Akash Jamil ◽

Syed Bilal Hussain ◽

Ahsan Ul Haq ◽

Ahmad Hussain ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Coniferous Forest ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Local Communities ◽

Tree Canopy ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Open Spaces ◽

Floral Diversity ◽

Tree Canopy Cover ◽

Closed Canopy

The moist temperate forests in Northern Pakistan are home to a variety of flora and fauna that are pivotal in sustaining the livelihoods of the local communities. In these forests, distribution and richness of vegetation, especially that of medicinal plants, is rarely reported. In this study, we carried out a vegetation survey in District Balakot, located in Northeastern Pakistan, to characterize the diversity of medicinal plants under different canopies of coniferous forest. The experimental site was divided into three major categories (viz., closed canopy, open spaces, and partial tree cover). A sampling plot of 100 m2 was established on each site to measure species diversity, dominance, and evenness. To observe richness and abundance, the rarefaction and rank abundance curves were plotted. Results revealed that a total of 45 species representing 34 families were available in the study site. Medicinal plants were the most abundant (45%) followed by edible plants (26%). Tree canopy cover affected the overall growth of medicinal plants on the basis of abundance and richness. The site with partial canopy exhibited the highest diversity, dominance, and abundance compared to open spaces and closed canopy. These findings are instrumental in identifying the wealth of the medicinal floral diversity in the northeastern temperate forest of Balakot and the opportunity to sustain the livelihoods of local communities with the help of public/private partnership.

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From hunters to nature observers: a record of 53 years of diver attitudes towards sharks and rays and marine protected areas

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf10142 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 62 (6) ◽

pp. 755 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Sally Whatmough ◽

Ingrid Van Putten ◽

Andrew Chin

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Resource Use ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Attitudinal Change ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Economic Information ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes ◽

Conservation Awareness

Human values, perceptions, attitudes and interactions with the natural environment have been found to change over time, with social and economic information used to inform management decisions and actions. Content analysis is applied here to a 53-year long collection of the popular dive magazine, SportDiving, to identify recreational divers’ experiences with regard to sharks and rays, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and marine protected areas (MPAs). This analysis suggests there has been a diversification of diver activities with the emergence of passive-observational activities such as SCUBA diving. Attitudes towards sharks and rays have changed significantly, with recreational divers changing from a group that could be described as adventure-seeking hunters to a group that can be described as nature-appreciating observers, suggesting an increase in conservation awareness. The GBR continues to be a highly regarded dive destination, with divers perceiving positive effects of protection within MPAs. However, declines in the abundance of large fish and sharks and rays were occasionally reported throughout the 53 year period. Collectively, these types of data can show changes in resource-use patterns, perceptions and attitudes and provide information that supplements scientific monitoring data. These data may be valuable where scientific data is scarce, historical records difficult to obtain, and where attitudinal change can significantly affect future resource use.

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Floristic Diversity Along An Altitudinal Gradient in Lakadmandi Beat of Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary of District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Indian Journal of Forestry ◽

10.54207/bsmps1000-2016-k4447j ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 101-110

Author(s):

R. Verma

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Plant Species ◽

Altitudinal Gradient ◽

Himachal Pradesh ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Floristic Diversity ◽

Wildlife Sanctuary ◽

Cedrus Deodara ◽

Quercus Leucotrichophora ◽

Herb Species

A study was conducted to understand the floristic diversity along an altitudinal gradient with elevations varying from 1800-2400m above msl in Lakadmandi beat of Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary in district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh during 2011. Total number of plant species was 81 belonging to 52 families and 76 genera. The dominant families were Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Pinaceae and Polygonaceae. The number of trees species was 6, 6 and 10 with the dominance of Quercus leucotrichophora, Cedrus deodara and Cedrus deodara at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The number of shrub species was 16, 13 and 23 with the dominance of Quercus leucotrichophora sapling, Sarcococca saligna and Sarcococca saligna at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevations respectively. The number of herb species was 46, 46 and 58 at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. On the basis of Importance Value Index (IVI), Valeriana jatamansii was the dominant herb at 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The distribution pattern of most of plant species was contiguous at all altitudinal ranges. Index of diversity for herb species in these elevational ranges was 3.420, 3.568 and 3.250. Out of 40 medicinal plant species recorded from the area, 3 species i.e. Paris polyphylla, Podophyllum hexandrum and Taxus wallichiana fall in the category of threatened plants. The better conservation of natural resources can be done through promotion of community based conservation, ex-situ conservation through tissue culture, developing cultivation technologies and nurseries of medicinal plants and conducting of regular training on the procedure of medicinal plants collection and processing among the end users.

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Ten New Records of Free-living Nematodes from Uttarakhand, India

Indian Journal of Forestry ◽

10.54207/bsmps1000-2018-gt8tz4 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 39-42

Author(s):

Vinita Sharma ◽

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

New Records ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Forest Trees ◽

Wildlife Sanctuary ◽

Free Living ◽

First Time

Ten nematode species of order Dorylaimida were recorded for the first time from Uttarakhand during survey of terrestrial nematodes associated with forest trees and medicinal plants in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India.

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