The rural people should be motivated to take up agro-forestry so that they are economically benefitted. It will also help in maintaining environmental balance through carbon fixing, said the Director of Forest Research Institute (FRI), Savita while addressing toppers conclave at Raj Bhawan on Thursday.
The FRI Director made a presentation on the role of forest in the livelihood of local people in the context of Uttarakhand. The Governor of Uttarakhand Krishan Kant Paul was also present during the presentation.
She said that high yield species of Sheesham, Eucalyptus and Poplar would have to be provided to the villagers and farmers under agro-forestry schemes.
Savita said that Uttarakhand had great scope for ecotourism due to its biodiversity and without harming the forests, livelihood could be generated for local people under sustainable development project. She said that medicinal plants, mushrooms and floriculture could help locals in earning a living. An action plan is needed through which would help the people living around forests know how they could get a source of livelihood without harming forests, she added. The FRI Director opined that bamboo could also be a good source of livelihood in Himalayan states.
In the second session Ayurveda expert, Anoop Kumar said that Ayurveda could help us live a healthy and happy life. He said that in Charak Samhita, the names of 500 medicinal plants are mentioned out of which 300 grow in Uttarakhand.
He said that Ayurveda helped prevent disease and he gave detailed description of how home remedies could be very effective.
Thursday was the third day of the toppers conclave. The students were also taken to the Selaqui based Centre for Aromatic Plants for an educational tour.