NDLI: Biodiversity conservation through a traditional beliefs system in Indian Himalaya: a case study from Nakuleshwar sacred grove

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Singh, Harsh Agnihotri, Priyanka Pande, P. C. Husain, Tariq
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	Sacred groves are well recognized in the world in terms of biodiversity conservation. The present study was conducted in the Nakuleshwar sacred grove, in the valley of Thal kedar hill in the Kumaon region of Pithoragarh district in Indian Himalaya, in appreciation of its role in biodiversity conservation. The study aimed at the documentation and inventory of the sacred grove, its phytodiversity, threats and conservation in the Himalayan region, and to achieve this, systematic field surveys were conducted during 2007–2010 covering all four seasons. A total of 83 species from 71 genera and 50 families were identified, of which 43 species are flowering plants, including 7 trees, 7 shrubs, 4 climbers and 25 herbs, and 40 species are non-flowering plants of which lichens are represented by 12 species from 8 genera, bryophytes 6 species from 5 genera, and pteridophytes 7 species from 9 genera, while gymnosperms are represented by a single species. Acer oblongum, Cinnamomum tamala, Cedrus deodara, Coriaria nepalensis act as keystone species in the grove. Ophiopogon inermis is a common herb during the rainy season while Goodyera hemsleyana (Orchid) is a new distribution record for the western Himalaya. A total of 43 species from 38 genera are used ethnobotanically by local people for various ailments. Mahonia nepaulensis, Asparagus adscendens, Thalictrum foliolosum, Cinnamomum tamala and Berberis asiatica are highly exploited species and need to be conserved. Climatic conditions of the grove are moderate and the floristic patch of the grove is completely different from the plant diversity of the surrounding area and matches with the diversified floral wealth of comparatively higher altitudes. Due to anthropogenic pressure, this grove is facing new threats of degradation, hence needing special attention.
Starting Page	246
Ending Page	253
Page Count	8
File Format	PDF
ISSN	02511088
Journal	Environmentalist
Volume Number	31
Issue Number	3
e-ISSN	15732991
Language	English
Publisher	Springer US
Publisher Date	2011-05-04
Publisher Place	Boston
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Indian Himalaya Kumaon Himalaya Nakuleshwar sacred grove Phytodiversity Conservation Nature Conservation Economic Geology Ecology Environmental Management
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Environmental Science

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