An Ethno-botanical Overview of Oak: A Multipurpose Wild Tree Species of the Pir Panjal Himalayas

Abstract

Oak is a very important tree species in the temperate broadleaved Himalayan forests. It is valued for a multitude of benefits reaped by the locals in the PirPanjal Himalayas. In the traditional agro-pastoral setup, their socioeconomy rely greatly on the tree species. Quercus leucotrichophora and Q. floribunda are the two dominant species growing wild in the region. An attempt is made in the present study to investigate and expose the type and extent of the role played by this tree in the livelihoods of rural populations. Certain factors responsible for regular shrinkage of oak forests in the area have also been assessed briefly.

Keywords: Agroforestry, wild-tree-species, ecosystem, ethnobotanical-uses.