"The cold deserts of North-West Himalaya are characterized by an extremely low temperature and less precipitation. These areas are under increasing pressure of the recent rapidly expanding tourism industry and also are one of the least protected regions of India, as only about four per cent of these are covered under national network of protected areas. Even then no baseline information on the flora of these protected areas, so vital for formulating strategies for management of their resources, is as yet available. The survey and inventorying of plant wealth of the Pin Valley National Park in Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh was taken up to bridge this gap. This study is an outcome of extensive and intensive survey and collection of plants in the Pin Valley National Park during 2001 to 2003. The 'Flora' includes taxonomic descriptions of 513 taxa belonging to 243 genera under 64 families of Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms with identification keys, wherever necessary, with a note on phenology, habitat, exsiccate, distribution and uses, and is supported by 31 line drawings and 155 colour photographs. Out of 513 taxa recorded from the Park 505 taxa are Angiosperms, 3 Gymnosperms and Five Pteridophytes." --NHBS Environment Bookstore.

Ethnobotany of India: Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas is the 4th volume of the 5-volume set, an informative book series on the ethnobotanical aspects of India. The books cover different regions, including Volume 1: Eastern Ghats and Deccan Volume 2: Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India Volume 3: North-East India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas Volume 5: The Indo-Gangetic Region Each volume looks at the important ethnic plants of the specific region. Volume 4 covers the Western and Central Himalayas, the well-known mountain range on the Indian subcontinent. The unique flora and fauna of the Himalayas are varied, affected by climate, rainfall, altitude, and soils, and are vulnerable to impacts from climate change. The editors espouse that because indigenous non-Western societies form the vast majority of people now as well as in the past, a study of their plant interrelationships is necessary, and India is one of the most important regions of the old world for its ancient and culturally rich and diverse knowledge of ethnobotany. With this in mind, these volumes share a great deal of information that will be valuable to plant botanists and others working in and interested in ethnobotany. This important volume covers the ethnobotanical aspects of many plants of the region. It looks at ethnic diversity of people ethnic food plants and food preparation ethnomedical aspects of plants psychedelic plants and their possible link to soma, a vedic ritual drink whose plant origins are a mystery ethnoveterinary medicinal plants ethno-conservation practices biodiversity heritage sites The volume includes the details of the plants used, their scientific names, the parts used, and how the plants are used, providing the what, how, and why of plant usage. The book is well illustrated with 20 color and 67 b/w illustrations. Together, the five volumes in the Ethnobotany of India series presents the available ethnobotanical knowledge of India in one place. India’s ancient and culturally rich and diverse information and use of ethnobotany will be valuable to those in the fields of botany and plant sciences, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, nutraceuticals, and others. The books also consider the threat to plant biodiversity imposed by environmental degradation, which impacts cultural diversity.

The Himalaya has profoundly shaped the cultures of the Indian subcontinent, with many Himalayan peaks considered sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism. Some of the world's major rivers – the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rise in the Himalayas. These rivers have abundant seasonal and annual water supply. The mountain ranges and river basins share trans-boundary connectedness. Still, mountain people living on hills have limited access to water for drinking and agriculture. Covering around 27% of the Earth’s land surface, the mountains contribute to the sustenance and wellbeing of over half the human population for water, food, and clean energy. Yet mountains are under threat from climate change, land degradation, overexploitation, and natural disasters, with potentially far-reaching and devastating consequences, both for mountain communities and downstream populations. The book covers interdisciplinary domains of science, humanities and commerce, hence beneficial for all types of readers equally. Promotion of awareness and education on conservation and sustainable utilization of bioresources and strengthening networks, coordination with the help of central government departments, state governments, NGOs and local institutions is urgently needed.