Himalayas Hot Spot of Biodiversity

Case Study–A Visit to Valley of Flowers Uttarakhand

Indrani KailasPGT Biology-KV Ashok Nagar, Chennai

Hi, I am Indrani, your Biology Teacher with a case study of Bio diversity in Himalayas.

Himalayas are one of the hot spots of Bio Diversity.

I visited Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand in 2010 after dreaming about it for nearly 30 years and was spell bound.

But I could also feel the gravity of sixth extinction taking place.

This small state with its rivers, conifer forests, rich bio diversity and pilgrimage sites is really over exploited.

In the following slides and notes, I have tried to take you along with me on a journey to this valley of flowers and also experience the problems that the area is facing.

I have included 2 case studies of involvement of residents in preserving the nature and bio diversity.

One of them is recent where residents are working to keep the valley clean and the other one happened a few years back called the Chipko Movement in the same area.

Peoples movement is always a powerful movement.

So children gear up to play your role and always remember in Mahatma Gandhi’s words

"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”

Himalayas: Hot Spot of BiodiversityValley of Flowers Uttarakhand

VALLEY OF FLOWERS IS LOCATED 300 KMS NORTH OF RISHIKESH, NEAR BADRINATH

Valley of Flowers National Park is a national park, located in West Himalaya, in the state of Uttarakhand and is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora and fauna.It is famous for its  picturesquee breathtaking beauty.

On the way to Govindghat by bus and enjoying on the banks of river Alaknanda with hope and determination for the wonderful trek to VOF

Trekking toGhangaria (17Km)was a challenge.With tough and rough pathway,ponies and rains on the way ,it took 7 hours.

Ghangharia ,the base camp on the banks of river Bhundyar Ganga for the trek to VOF(that later joins alaknanda which in turn joins the Ganga)

Ghangaria- Base camp of the valley

Now for the last lap-just 3 Km more!

Enter the Valley of Flowers

WOW ! I am speechless.

Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast"this is a famous Persian couplet by a sufi poet, and musician Amir Khusro which means......"If There Is Paradise On Face Of The Earth,It Is This, It Is This, It Is This”

Himalayan Potentilla

Inula Grandiflora

Blue poppies

Aster albescence

I am mesmerized .The botanist in me takes over as I collect leaves and flowers for my herbarium.

EDC(Eco Development Committee)Bhundyar valley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loPhnpxa0Hg

‘Conservation works when it pays’. This is one example where local people can be involved in protection of protected area. They need to be informed about their role in protection and benefit that can be earned from it. By involving them in the management, they can do wanders for protection of a park.

THE VOF tourism generates lot of waste. The picture shows the sacks full of plastic bottles, food wrappers and raincoats made of thin polythene, thrown by pilgrims and tourists.

In 2011, a group of trekkers saw the sacks piled at Govindghat and informed their friend Anis Ahmad,

Anis Ahmad a waste dealer worked out a deal with EDC. EDC was paying the transportation cost. But Ahmad gave EDC Rs 3,000 for each truck of waste and transported it for free. He collected 111 tonnes of waste and sold it to a recycler in Delhi.

EDC Bhyundar hires youngsters to provide information to visitors to the Valley of Flowers National Park. They are also trained to work as guides, accountants, cashiers and computer operators at the EDC.

Initiative to keep VOF Clean

The Chipko Movement

Watch the Documentary Clipping about this movement in the last slide: 2:00 minutes

hiDeforestation has always been a major problem.Development Vs Conservation is a dilemmaUttarakhand faces.

AMRITA DEVI BISHNOI-The inspiration behind Chipko aandolan. The sacrifice made by Amrita Devi and others is a heart-rending example of their love for nature.The Maharaja of Jodhpur wanted to build a palace and required wood for it. To procure this his men went to the village of Jalnadi to fell the trees. When Amrita Devi saw this she rushed out to prevent the men and hugged the first tree, but the axe fell on her and she died on the spot. Before dying she uttered the now famous couplet of the Bishnois, ‘A chopped head is cheaper than a felled tree’. People from 83 surrounding villages rushed to prevent the men from felling the trees and by the end of the day more than 350 had lost lives.

Rains and roadslides are common here .After the severe 2013 floods, the road to the Valley was badly damaged; many pedestrian bridges got swept away and as a result the tourists were barred from heading towards the Valley.It opened only in June 2015.

 I sit down on the sandy river bank at Harshil,as the mighty Ganga flows in front.Emerging from the gigantic glacier,‘Gomukh, flowing merrily with force & energy. Wide sandy shore on the sides with pebbles, The tall conifers with deep green needles.

The snow capped mountains forming a background Overwhelmed by nature ,I gaze at this panoramic view. Then close eyes to feel the fresh cool mountain breeze. A sudden sound awakens me from my blissful slumber to see a tirade of stones falling from the top one after another.

Mighty Ganga,the perennial river

Mighty Ganga,a Perennial River

A big sound of dynamite and the smaller ones of the falling stonesjolt me roughly into the reality to see the hidden but inevitable truthI open my eyes and feel a lump in my throat.

The magical moment is lost and peace has been pierced by a multitude of thoughtsdeforestation,soil erosion,green house gases ,global warming and melting Gomukh!The question looms large “Mighty Ganga ,will it be perennial ?”

a) What do you think of the tourists’ behaviour?b) How will you support the boy?c) suggest two ways to handle plastic bottle problem in the valley.

Value Based Questions for AISSCE

You happen to visit VOF and see a local Garhwali boy (EDC volunteer) trying to stop a tourist from throwing plastic bottle .The tourists are loudly making fun of the boy.

This case study was aimed at creating an awareness about the importance of Biodiversity in the Hot Spot Of biodiversity ,”The Himalayas”.

Indiscriminate over exploitation ,building dams, roads and habitations has

lead to habitat loss endangering the ecological ,species & genetic diversity.

The effort to slow down this works beautifully when local people participate in it.

People and Government together can preserve this wonderful gift of nature for the future generations

As the vibrant energetic youngsters your values,

thoughts and actions are very important.

Thank You

Food For Thought ……

ॐ सर्वे� भर्वेन्तु सुखि�नः सर्वे� सन्तु निनरामयाः ।सर्वे� भद्राणि� पश्यन्तुमा कणि�द्दःु�भाग्भरे्वेत् ।ॐ शान्तिन्तः शान्तिन्तः शान्तिन्तः ॥

Om, May All become Happy,May All be Free from Illness.:May All See what is Auspicious,:May no one Suffer.: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Preserve Nature,And Nature will preserve Us,Simplify Life,And make the Nature thrive,Plant Trees,And make our planet Green.

Hope you enjoyed this lesson.Next watch the video clipping.

Thank You. Indrani Kailas