The Himalayan ecosystem, particularly the western Himalayan region of the Indian Himalayan region (IHR) forms an integral part of the global ecosystem which influences the entire Indian peninsular landmass by providing irrigational facilities to the plain regions along with high content of alluvial soil deposits. More importantly, it is a kernel of natural resources and has a rich forest resource base with great contrast in the vegetation pattern changing from Temperate to Alpine with the elevation change. The rural Himalayan communities are very close to nature and highly depend on forest resources. However, the ever-increasing pressure on these ecosystems results in further ecological damage to an already fragile landscape. The huge natural wealth of the region necessitates proper governance of the natural resource base. Economical, indirect and quick benefits from forests are much higher than the direct and sustained benefits but the continuous anthropogenic activities affect the resources at the higher side. Anthropogenic activities such as grazing, ruthless lopping, land use changes, forest fire, indiscriminate non-wood forest products (NWFP) collection, exploitation, excessive resource extraction using faulty methods, and ethical and moral changes towards sustainable management are causing disturbances in the Himalayan forests by leading to the change in the structure of forest and altering the species composition which further can accelerate succession. Though concerns are being raised about the loss of native knowledge and the possible extinction of plant resources, hence conservation and sustainable management of key habitats could contribute to safeguarding the heritage of this economically and socio-ecologically rich region.