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<p>Forest resources play a vital role in the livelihood of rural communities in the hill region of Uttarakhand. Present study was carried out in the community led Van Panchayat forests located between an altitude of 1460 MSL-1800 MSL in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. A survey was conducted in Van Panchayat villages employing semi structured questionnaires and household interviews, covering approximately 33% of the total households in each village. The average cultivated land per household was less than 1&#xa0;ha (0.05&#xa0;ha). The average number of livestock ranged from 4.90 ± 1.23 to 6.19 ± 1.8 individuals per household in the study area. The average fuelwood consumption per household ranged between 5.79 ± 1.69 and 8.09 ± 1.50&#xa0;kg/day, while the average fodder consumption ranged from 42.89 ± 1.98 to 54.72 ± 2.96&#xa0;kg/day. Based on relative utility value, <i>Quercus leucotrichophora</i> emerged as the most valuable tree species, followed by <i>Pinus roxburghii, Quercus glauca</i> and <i>Celtis australis</i>. The local communities heavily rely on forest products including fuelwood, fodder and non-timber forest products, for their livelihood. However, the Forest Department retains the primary authority, and despite the significant expansion of Van Panchayats, their functional effectiveness has largely declined or remained stagnant in most cases. This study contributes to our understanding of forest utilization pattern and socioeconomic structure of the village households. Additionally, this study also highlights the role of Van Panchayat forests in supporting livelihood and economic dependence. The findings underscore the challenges and variations in resource utilization, emphasizing the need for sustainable management strategies to ensure the continued availability and equitable distribution of these forest resources.</p>

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Livelihood dependence and forest resource utilization in Van Panchayat forests of the Kumaun Himalaya

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月3日

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  • Inder Singh Rautela,
  • L. S. Lodhiyal,
  • Vasundhra Lodhiyal,
  • Neelu Lodhiyal

摘要

Forest resources play a vital role in the livelihood of rural communities in the hill region of Uttarakhand. Present study was carried out in the community led Van Panchayat forests located between an altitude of 1460 MSL-1800 MSL in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. A survey was conducted in Van Panchayat villages employing semi structured questionnaires and household interviews, covering approximately 33% of the total households in each village. The average cultivated land per household was less than 1 ha (0.05 ha). The average number of livestock ranged from 4.90 ± 1.23 to 6.19 ± 1.8 individuals per household in the study area. The average fuelwood consumption per household ranged between 5.79 ± 1.69 and 8.09 ± 1.50 kg/day, while the average fodder consumption ranged from 42.89 ± 1.98 to 54.72 ± 2.96 kg/day. Based on relative utility value, Quercus leucotrichophora emerged as the most valuable tree species, followed by Pinus roxburghii, Quercus glauca and Celtis australis. The local communities heavily rely on forest products including fuelwood, fodder and non-timber forest products, for their livelihood. However, the Forest Department retains the primary authority, and despite the significant expansion of Van Panchayats, their functional effectiveness has largely declined or remained stagnant in most cases. This study contributes to our understanding of forest utilization pattern and socioeconomic structure of the village households. Additionally, this study also highlights the role of Van Panchayat forests in supporting livelihood and economic dependence. The findings underscore the challenges and variations in resource utilization, emphasizing the need for sustainable management strategies to ensure the continued availability and equitable distribution of these forest resources.