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The species richness, distribution and community structure in cold desert regions across the world are poorly understood because of their inaccessibility and remoteness. Similarly, the structure and composition of forest resources, including other management units (i.e., agroforestry and forestry systems), have hardly been studied in the cold desert of the Lahaul valley. However, such information is a prerequisite to understanding the trends and changes in the vegetation distribution under global climate change scenarios, especially considering the sensitivity of plant species in high-altitude areas of the Himalayan region. High anthropogenic activity has exerted tremendous pressure on available forest resources, including other management units in the cold desert of the Lahaul valley. Standard ecological methods were used to obtain an ecological (i.e., status, structure, composition and vegetation patterns) understanding of the region for biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability. The present study was aimed at understanding the trend, structure and composition of plant species in the cold desert region of the western Himalaya. A total of 64 species (27 trees and 37 shrubs) of vascular plants were recorded in the present study. Tree diversity demonstrated greater variation along the gradients and slope aspects. Salix fragilis trees, with a 102 tree ha−1 density and a few trees of Populus nigra, were found to be sparsely distributed under the agroforestry system on the south-facing slopes in Khoksar. In Jahlma, Salix fragilis grew in an agroforestry system with a density of 365 tree ha−1. However, in Hinsa, Juniperus polycarpos was a dominant tree species in the agroforestry system, with a density of 378 tree ha−1. On the north-facing slopes in Kuthar, a higher number of trees and bushes were present due to natural regeneration maintained by farmers along the edges of terraced agricultural fields. The south-facing slopes showed a relatively lower species richness and diversity as compared to north-facing slopes at similar locations due to relatively less favourable growth conditions under sun-exposed, extremely xeric soil conditions. The highest level of species turnover was found between the altitudes of 2400 m and 3000 m. Betula utilis showed the highest adaptability at higher altitudes (>3500 m). The vegetation analysis results and information generated in the present study are useful for gaining an ecological understanding of the cold desert ecosystem in the Lahaul valley. Sustainable forest resource management, including other management units (e.g., agroforestry and forestry systems), is crucial for improving the vegetation pattern, structure and function of the cold desert ecosystem, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity and ecosystem service conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the knowledge of Collaborative Adaptive Stewardship (CASt) to advance Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) management in South Africa. This concept promotes the involvement of private landowners and other stakeholders in the management and action processes, hence promoting social inclusivity, job creation, and sustainable biodiversity stewardship. It demonstrates that landowners are major stakeholders in IAPs management, thereby practising biodiversity stewardship in the 80% of privately owned lands of the country. The involvement of landowners in the management process aids in the prevention of further expansion of IAPs, the mitigation of risks (such as fire and flooding), and the maintenance of ecosystem functionality and landscape-scale connectivity. CASt fosters synergy among many stakeholders for the management of IAPs and long-term sustainable biodiversity stewardship. In South Africa, a number of landowners have entered into stewardship agreements as a result of incentives and subsidies for IAPs management. The benefits should be contingent on private landowner actions to IAPs management; this will support biodiversity stewardship. This study serves as a foundation for collaborative IAPs management and will be crucial in achieving long-term sustainability goals (e.g., economy, society and environment) to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the rural areas of the Himalaya, ethnobotanical knowledge is crucial for preserving plant diversity and treating a variety of diseases. Ethno-veterinary medicines can provide leads for drug development, but probably a more practical and lucrative exercise would be to develop a preferred preparation by pharmacological research, and the ensuing medication can be returned to the society with extra impact. Further, this valuable knowledge base has now become obsolete due to industrialization, urbanization and, above all, lack of recognition by the younger generations. Therefore, there is a dire need to review, document and authenticate the valuable traditional knowledge of ethno-medicinal plants for human welfare. By comprehending the traditional knowledge system, the current study conducted in Jammu and Kashmir, India, could serve as a pilot to document the sustainable exploitation of regularly utilized bioresources and would provide crucial leads for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medicines. The importance of traditional and indigenous knowledge is acknowledged on a worldwide scale for its coexistence principles and sustainable use techniques. In view of this, the present study is an attempt to document the ethno-veterinary plants used by the tribal communities of Western Himalaya. This study also provides the scientific validation of herbal medicines used in ethno-veterinary practices through a reverse pharmacological approach. A total of 59 informants were selected through a non-probability sampling method. Detailed information on the medicinal plants used in ethno-veterinary practices along with their habits and habitats, part/s used, remedy preparation methods, additives/ingredients used during preparation and administration, dosages administered, and route of administration was collected. Data was analyzed for the Relative Frequency of Citations (RFC), Use Values (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and Jaccard Index (JI). Further, a reverse pharmacological approach was used for scientific validations of the documented herbal knowledge of plant species. During the study, 56 plant species belonging to 54 genera and 39 families were documented. Asteraceae was the dominant family followed by Lamiaceae, Amaranthaceae and Fabaceae. Life forms were dominated by herbaceous species and leaves were the most common plant parts used. The highest Relative Frequency of Citations (RFC) and Use Values (UV) were recorded for Brassica rapa L. (Brassicaceae). The Pearson correlation coefficient between RFC and UV shows a strong positive correlation between the proportion of uses of a plant species within a sample of informants and the number of times that a particular use of a plant species was mentioned by the informant. Studies of the biological activity of ethno-veterinary plants can provide clues of promising leads for the isolation and identification of useful compounds that may be developed into pharmaceuticals for human welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]