O P Sharma Vidyarthi (IFS)
Recent constitution of J&K State Biodiversity Board is an outcome of State Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan drafted by State Forest Research Institute in the year 2003 , I had the opportunity to interact with experts from diverse backgrounds from farmers ,folk healers ,ayurvedic practitioners ,taxonomists , botanists ,zoologists , agriculturists , tribal people , prominent artists ,writers , personalities , environmentalists ,research scholars RRL ,SKUAST scientists and naturalists to cover diverse biodiversity profile of three regions of Jammu ,Kashmir and Ladakh , major habitats supporting unique species ,traditional and modern utilization practices ,ways and means to effect ex-situ and ex-situ conservation of threatened taxa .
Conservation of Biodiversity involves conservation of critical habitats with significant endemicity and uniqueness of biota ,critical species like Hangul of Dachigam ,Himalayan Grey Langur of Kashmir , Himalayan Tahr of Padder Bani ,Snow leopard ,Chiru ,Ibex of Ladakh , Musk deer ,Markhor of Poonch ,Hirpora and Kajinag need effective conservation strategies by the Biodiversity Board to save these taxa from impending extinction in absence of conservation interventions.
Among plants alpine meadows and temperate forests with incidence of over-grazing ,over -exploitation , and road construction has lead to habitat modification as well as habitat loss leading to decline of some species like Kaahjawain ,Jalakafal , Kaud ,Patrees ,Dhuppa ,Shingli mingli ,Dhooph sangli and call for immediate conservation attention at the level of Biodiversity Board.
Among animal taxa of low altitude habitats , hog deers ,gorals , monitor lizards , otters ,pangolins ,vultures ,pheasants , saurus cranes ,sponges , butterflies need prioritization for studying factors leading to their population decline as a consequence of man made pressures . Among subtropical and tropical threatened plants ,taxa like Glory Lily , Sweet Flag ,Edible Yam ,Ceropegia ,Oroxylum indicum , Litsea chinensis ,Embelia , Chara ,Compsogon need scientific data collection to conclude their ecological concerns .
J&K is a biomass state with its major proportion of inhabitants drawing their livelihoods directly from bioresources like Kashmir silk ,Pashmina wool , wooden art and craft ,boat building , fish culture , trade in medicinal plants , logging operations ,timber extraction , goat sheep rearing ,domestication of cattle ,cultivation of fruit trees and vegetables , mule and pony transport at tourist and pilgrim spots like Patnitop ,Gulmarg , Pehalgam ,Amarnath ,Vaishno Devi etc .
Utilization of bioresources and conservation of critical habitats need to be reconciled for the sustainance of not only tourism industry but also maintainence of vital ecological functions like purification of water resources , soil productivity ,purification of air ,recharge of ground aquifers ,availability of pollinators , ecological interactions ,climate moderation ,perennial flow of water in rivers and ensuring health ,food and water security as visualized by 14th century sufi saint Nund Rishi also named as Sheikh ul Alam who said -Ann poshi teli ,Yeli van poshi means Food is subservient to Forests . Need based utilization of forest and wetland bio-products calls for value addition to popular forest products , innovative techniques to reduce timber wastage/use , tappinig non-traditional timber trees for timber needs , encouraging cultivation of threatened plants like Kuth ,Pushakrmool ,Kalihari ,Thuner ,Katuki ,Trayemaan ,Tejpat , Burans , Ba viding , Danti ,Chakshuya , Vacha ,Kalmegh ,Shatavari ,Kali Musali ,Kapoorkachri ,Meddasakk ,Ratanjot ,Chikhdi ,Ghalot ,Adusa ,Dhaataki ,Giloe ,Gunja ,Kapikachhu etc .
Under in-situ conservation programme , Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas ( MPCA’s) need to be established in all biodiversity rich sites outside Protected Areas Network like Khardungla ,Nubra ,Sankoo ,Lalung ,Draas ,Gurez ,Badaao ,Chorvan ,Dahi nala ,Bootimali ,Thajwas ,Harmukh ,Lidderwat ,Aru ,Chandanwari ,Sarthal ,Bhaderwah ,Padder ,Machail , Darhaal ,Peerki gali , Kajinag ,Bani ,Ramrachna ,Kirchi ,Dudu etc .
Under ex-situ conservation ,Botanical Gardens ,Herbal gardens ,Biodiversity Parks ,Environmental Parks ,Tree Talk Trails can be established at all district headquarters in different altitudinal zones . Govt of India scheme under the name Paryavaran Mitra Programme is a welcome step ,WWF is co-ordinating with colleges to have Botanical Gardens with endemic ,threatened ,edible and medicinal germplasm of select taxa can act as Biodiversity awareness centres, Research laboratories, Conservation centres .
Biodiversity board has to monitor misuse ,overuse or illicit smuggling of biodiversity by effective surveillance mechanisms , encourage need based biological research and innovations for economical value added products , issue certificates for legal commercial ventures ,make available new technologies and scientific methodologies for ensuring economic benefits to local communities as per provisions of Indian Biodiversity Act -2003 .
Documentation of Traditional Knowledge of state ethnic communities namely Gaddis ,Gujjars ,Bakkarwals ,Dardis ,Baltis ,Changpaas ,Haanjis ,Dogras ,Kashmiris ,Pahadis is another area of immediate focus ,work of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine available in the form of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library ( TKDL ) need to be further enriched by State Biodiversity Board . Local varieties of plants and animals with geographic uniqueness can be declared as Geographical Indications eg Ambri of Shopian ,Chilgoza of Padder ,Rajmaah of Bhaderwah ,Mooli of Kansar ,Chikdi of Thannamandi ,Patrees of Kashmir ,Veeri Tethven of Kajinag ,Palangus of Dras ,Karth of Paddar ,Sattar gaad of Kashmir ,Lalaaie of Shivaliks , Rajharad of Mathwar ,Buckwheat of Gurez ,Peas of Ladakh to quote a few .
Biodiversity is vital web of life and backbone of state economy ,it is basic to our water ,food and health security ,erosion of life support habitats will jeopardize ecological resilience of our natural surroundings and loosen our grip on future scientific and technological innovations to combat future challenges of water ,food and health security .
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