Forest resources consumption pattern in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalaya, India

Abstract

In the present study, forest biomass (fuelwood, leaf fodder, leaf-litter and non-timber forest products) consumption patterns have been evaluated in the villages of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya, India. The average fuelwood consumption in the selected villages was estimated at 3.14 kg/capita/day and its energy equivalent was found 52.74 MJ/capita/day. The average leaf fodder and leaf-litter consumption was estimated at 2.70 and 2.40 kg/unit/day, respectively, and the same pattern was estimated for energy equivalent. People's perception on impacts of conservation measures and resources utilization rights were also analysed. Our results emphasized the need for regular assessment of forest resources, particularly in protected areas, where access to natural resources have been denied due to legal restrictions. The study could be a pilot to strengthen the conservation measures across the protected area network by understanding the dynamics of anthropocentric activities and their subsequent impacts on forest resources.

Keywords:

• forest resource
• fuelwood
• fodder
• protected area
• Western Himalaya

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Task Force-3 (Forest Resources and Plant Biodiversity) under National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST) for partial funding to revise and generate a database through field study for the present study. Thanks are due to Dr. P.P. Dhyani, Director of G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, India, for providing the necessary facilities to carry out this work. The authors are also thankful to the Vaidyas and all inhabitants of the sanctuary for providing information on the traditional knowledge system for medicinal plants. The authors also thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable remarks/suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Task Force-3 (Forest Resources and Plant Biodiversity) under National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) partially funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST).