Abstract

NEED OF CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT OF ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES OF NORTH WESTERN HIMALAYAS- A REVIEW

P. K. Chauhan, Sunayna Singh, Janmeet Kour and Manjeet Singh

Abstract

North Western Himalayan forests are the most important source of medicinal plants and with useful species for the local people of Himachal Pradesh (HP), India. Maximum medicinal plants were reported in the altitudinal zone, 2000-2800 m and decreased with increasing altitude. The present analysis was carried out on the upper hilly regions of HP for the ecological status of endangered medicinal plants, causes of their extinction and their management. Out of the total 457 medicinal plant species of HP, 60 plant species fall in the category of endangered plants, out of which 3 were critically endangered, 44 endangered and 13 vulnerable. This study can serve as baseline information on medicinal plants and could be helpful to further strengthen the conservation of this important resource. Regular monitoring of populations and habitats of threatened medicinal plants, restricted harvesting and habitat protection are suggested. Further, the native communities need to be made aware regarding the sustainable use and conservation value of the species of different genus.

Keywords: Endangered, diversity, critical, status, conservation and management.