Livestock grazing and conservation of biodiversity in the high altitude ecosystem - An integrated landscape management approach.

Abstract

The present study therefore, aimed to assess various issues of livestock grazing on a regional landscape basis and to suggest a long term strategy for integrating sustainable grazing compatible to biodiversity objectives. The study formed a part of the major 5-year Forestry Research, Education and Extension Project (FREEP) implemented in the GHNPCA and its surrounds. The present study was undertaken in the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA), Himachal Pradesh comprising three PAs viz., the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuary, Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary and an Ecodevelopment Zone (EZ) encompassing an area of 1,171 sq km. The local inhabitants in the GHNPCA have reared livestock since time immemorial and have followed transhumant pastrolism. According to the common belief amongst the local people, conservationists and wildlife managers, the livestock population and herd or flock size have increased substantially overtime; grazing practices are harmful to wildlife and also leading to large scale degradation; and unregulated grazing in forests and alpine pastures is not compatible with the long term conservation objectives. The study revealed that the age old practice of seasonal transhumant pastrolism and their life style largely remained unaffected despite several changes brought in during the different ruling regimes, new technologies and overall development since the Pre-colonial period to till date. The caste system has influenced the social structure, work distribution and resource use. The landscape had a total pressure of an estimated 33,000 to 38,000 livestock including resident of GHNPCA as well as migratory beyond the Conservation Area.