Sanctuary |In the Field
ABOVE An undisturbed patch of oak forest. When left to fl ourish, these temperate forests
provide ideal habitat for many species.
TOP One of the perks of working in the Himalaya is being able to stop and marvel at this sight
almost every day, says the author.Local communities in parts of Uttarakhand have started earning decent livelihoods from bird tourism by setting
up homestays or by turning guides to their own ‘backyards’.OAK AND PINE – THE BACKBONE
OF TEMPERATE FORESTS
Temperate forests not only provide
a habitat for animals but also for the
people whose sustenance and livelihoods
are dependent on them. A signifi cant
proportion of these forests are
community-managed and are governed
by van panchayats (see box on page
71), a form of governance unique to
Uttarakhand. Oak forests are also a source
of water that feed a large number of
springs and streams.
The chir pine Pinus roxburghii, grows
on the drier slopes of the Kumaon
Himalaya and unlike oak forests, chir
forests have open canopies and sparse
understories. A commercially sought-after
species, chir is valued for both timber and
turpentine (pine resin), and is therefore
widely planted. In fact, chir pine has been
found to grow in degraded oak forestsTARUN MENONGHAZALA SHAHABUDDIN