Ecology and Conservation of the Valley of Flowers National Park, Garhwal Himalaya

The alpine meadows are often viewed as important grazing resources by local and migratory pastoral communities. The wealth of herbal medicines found in these zones and current level of pressure are well known. There are clear indications that many medicinal herbs have become rare and others are at the verge of extinction due to over exploitation and habitat degratation. Strangely, neither conservationists are unanimous about the desired action in these areas nor there is any policy on the livestock grazing and conservation of alpine areas at national level. The present publication of WII highlights certain aspects of ecology and conservation of alpine meadows in the Valley of Flowers National Park in Garhwal Himalaya. It is hoped that the information contained in the report would be helpful in planning further research and formulating conservation and management strategies in the alpine regions of Himalaya.