Conserving medicinal herbs of Kashmir Himalayas
by Saima Hamid Baba
“The Himalayan region is a lifeline for more than 1.5 billion people living in the floodplains of its main rivers and there has been some rapid melting of glaciers taking place which may pose severe flood risks to millions of people living downstream. [...] also known as the Hindu Kush, [it] is home to Mount Everest and is a 3500 square kilometer stretch of mountains spanning across eight countries. So, it is of utmost importance that this vital region is preserved with the maximum resources allocated.”
Leaves were pale, crying for water, sweating under intense sunlight. On 20 August 2020, I recorded 28 degrees Celsius under the dense canopy of coniferous tress which is 7 degrees more than optimum temperature in higher altitudes of meadow lush green lands of Gulmarg, Bungus valley of Kashmir Himalayas while collecting important medicinal herbs. I witnessed change in vegetation patterns due to human interventions especially over exploitation of valuable medicinal herbs viz a viz the growth of alien species which are not allowing native ones to grow which results in loss of biodiversity. Since from 2017 to 2020, I was amazed after seeing leaves were eaten by insects and worms because of increased warmth which were felt after 30 years due to climate change and lack of rainfall for four months made me to pen down what is happening on high altitudes. I couldn’t found any leaf on the stems of my target medicinal herbs.
About
Saima Hamid Baba is a young researcher and climate change activist who is working on conservation of native medicinal plants of Kashmir Himalayas, India.
Her research articles can be found on Research Gate.