Man and forests: A Central Himalayan case study

Abstract

The forests of the Central Himalaya are suffering serious losses due to population growth and expansion of agriculture. Although utilization of forest products is a necessary component of the Central Himalayan agroeconomy it is prohibitively inefficient. More than seven units of energy must be taken from the forest in order to produce a single unit of agricultural energy. Consequently, the carrying capacity of the forest has been exceeded. Further destruction of the forest must be prevented and positive steps such as reforestation and tree farming should be taken to ensure the future of the region's ecology and economy.