Vol. 14 No. 11 (1999): November
Paper

Ethnobiology of high altitude Himalayan communities in District Chamoli: A conservation perspective

Published 1999-11-21

Abstract

Chamoli is a border district of Uttarkhand or U.P. Himalaya having one tribal community, he Bhotia, inhabiting the high mountainous regions in Block Joshimath and the ethnic groups Khasas and Doms inhabiting the entire larger montance and submontane regions.  The former race has basically and traditionally been associated with the practice of nomadism, weaving, agriculture and pastoral bomadism since time immemorial.   The latter group is inhabiting in remote parts of the district, though engaged mainly in agriculture and pastoral activities, are to some extent, involved traditionally in the practice of nomadism, weaving and pastoral nomadism unlike the traibal community.  These people live inand survive very drastic climatic and environmental conditions and have close cultural and social relations with the surrounding nature and natural resources.  Poaching of wild animals and collection of herbs from the wild are being practised unsustainably and the intensity of such practices is on the increase.  The reasons behind these ecologically damagind activities in the Himalayan belt are (a) illiteracy and lack of knowledge of sustainable environmental education and (b) extremely poor economic condition of most families.  In the present investigation some seriously affected floral and faunal species along with their ethnobiological observations and innovative mitigation measures for their conservation are analysed.