The Himalayas of India: A treasury of medicinal plants under siege

Wild plant raw material is in great demand around the world for use by pharmaceutical companies, ethnomedicinal practitioners, and a variety of traditional medicines. India is one of the world’s major exporters of raw herbal drugs and the Himalayas are renowned for their vast storehouse of medicinal plants. The domestic and international demand is met mainly through unsustainable in-situ harvesting which has become a major threat to the survival of many Himalayan plant species. Additional conservation initiatives are urgently required as well as more research on the cultivation of wild Himalayan taxa. This study reviews the biodiversity of the Indian Himalayan region as a whole, the specific effects of climate, geography and anthropogenic activities on the endangered and threatened species, with particular reference to the Himachal Region. An assessment has been given of the highlights and shortcomings of current conservation initiatives.