[Cultivation Zone]
The
Indian Himalayas is a storehouse of the most
rare & valuable species of medicinal &
aromatic plants. Deforestation and climatic
changes in the region, compounded by overuse
of MAPs and destructive harvesting practices,
and the absence of positive interventions of
soil & water conservation measures, have
led to this heritage getting depleted at an
alarming rate. The Pragya Project on Conserving
the Herbal Wealth of the Himalayas is aimed
at the conservation and sustainable utilisation
of the medicinal & aromatic plant wealth
of the high altitude valleys and meadows of
the Indian Himalayas through multiple community-centred
activities. It includes:
This
project is co-financed by the European Community.
The project is working with communities in several
villages spread over almost all distinct valleys
and agro-climatic zones in the high altitude
Himalayan belt in India comprising: Zanskar,
Nubra, Changthang and Central Leh in the Ladakh
region, Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur in Himachal
Pradesh, Chamoli and Uttarkashi in Uttaranchal
and North Sikkim and Tawang in NE India.
Mapping
& Threat Assessment of Herbal Wealth ~ Recognizing
the need for scientific data gathering &
documentation in order to ensure appropriate
conservation planning and action, the project
began with a mammoth and first-of-its-kind activity,
that of mapping the herbal wealth of the Himalayan
cold deserts. Comprehensive vegetative mapping
was carried out with intensive community collaboration
and expert advice from traditional healers (amchis/vaids).
The activity also involved networking and liaison
with the local administration as well as with
several research institutes. Regional CAMPs
(Community Conservation Assessment and Management
Plan workshops) helped validate ground survey
findings, establish the status of habitats and
species, and develop the conservation management
strategies.
