Declining regeneration and changing extent of banj oak forest in the Western Himalaya

The banj oak forest, dominated by Quercus leucotrichophora, faces a critical ecological challenge due to its poor regeneration, raising concerns about its long-term sustainability. The present study assessed the regeneration status of banj oak forest through detailed vegetation analysis at three sites in Nainital district, Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya. Additionally, a spatial analysis was conducted for the entire Western Himalayan region of India to quantify changes in banj oak forest area over the past decade. The recorded seedling density was very low at each study site. For example, for Kailakhan - 29 seedlings/ha^− 1, Patwadangar - 34 seedlings/ha-1, and Pangot - 0. Furthermore, the present study also revealed that the area of banj Oak forests declined by −2501.15 km² between 2011 to 2020 in the western Himalaya. This study underscores the pressing need for targeted conservation strategies to promote the regeneration and sustainability of Q. leucotrichophora and other associated species in the Himalayan region.