Abstract

The history of deforestation in the Central Hin1alayan region LVay S. Rawat The last two centuries of unprecedented economic of one·of the most fertile plains on the face of the activity have witnessed an equally unprecedented earth. rate of deforestation across the the globe. However, The environmental pressure in the Central the situation is at its most alarming in the third world Himalayan region has been growing for at least a countries where an ever-increasing population at century and a half, although in the mountain region, subsistence economic level is faced with the especially, serious deforestation and man-made soil continuous decline of forests and a concomitant loss erosion have occurred almost entirely since the of natural resources. nineteenth century. Many previous publications The onslaughts of man have been particularly have discussed the dangerous depletion of the severe on the forests of what is the highest mountain Himalayan timber resources. However, we still do system of the world, albeit a relatively young and not have an integrated understanding of the fragile one- the Himalayas. The Central Himalayan historical forces which have produced today's region is no exception. Here the risk is greater than dilemma. The major objective of the paper