Himachal Pradesh government proposes to spend Rs 5.12 crore in Spiti valley of Lahaul-Spiti district under “Spiti cold desert biosphere reserve” (CDBR) conservation plan, to sensitise local inhabitants about environment, biodiversity conservation and to seek their active participation in development and conservation efforts.
A plan to this effect was recently submitted by state wildlife wing of forest department under management action plan project to the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change, which has now been sanctioned.
The forest department would implement the project through local committees, including women representatives from gram panchayats, over a period of five years, officials said. In the first phase, a plan of Rs 81.48 lakh has been received by the department for the year 2014-15 to carry out various activities in this regard, they said.
Among total 18 CDBRs of the country, only Spiti area of Himachal Pradesh was declared “cold desert biosphere reserve” in 2009. Bestowed with abundant natural beauty and representing unique bio-physical features of trans-Himalayan ecosystem, it is spread over an area of 7,770 sq kms.
According to officials, the CDBR comprises Pin Valley National Park and its surroundings, Chandertal and Sarchu and Kibber wildlife sanctuary.
While the pride of Spiti valley and one of the oldest monasteries, the Tabo monastery, has been declared as “world heritage site,” by effectively implementing this project, efforts would be made for inclusion of CDBR under “man and biosphere” (MAB) programme of UNESCO, officials said.
Components of the comprehensive management action plan (CAMP) in this regard include awareness and capacity building of local communities and staff, improving infrastructural facilities, habitat restoration, bio-diversity conservation, socio-economic development through promotion of farm cultivation and animal husbandry, non-conventional energy and fuel saving devices, water supply, cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, they added.
The CDBR is mostly dominated by the over 500 herbaceous and scrub species. More than 118 species of valuable medicinal and aromatic plants are found in the area. The notable shrubby species are junipers, hippophae, myricaria, caragna, rosa, lonicera, ephedra, etc.
The high value medicinal species are aconitum, podophyllum, swertia, rheum, thymus and picrorrhiza. The rare wildlife species found are snow leopard, wolf, brown and black bear, blue sheep, ibex, Tibetan gazzle, red fox, weasel, marmot, griffon, lammergeyer, golden eagle and snow cock, said the officials.
Components of the CAMP dovetails with the snow leopard protection programme of Rs 5.15 crore underway in parts of Spiti cold desert biosphere reserve while the snow leopard programme takes care of the wild flora and fauna of the snow leopard zone. CAMP provisions complement the holistic development efforts by concentrating on human development aspect live-hood, etc., sources said.
The studies and research proposals in this regard include dissemination of best practices of biodiversity conservation, monitoring of the receding glaciers and climate change.
