FORESTS IN THE KULLU VALLEY

Until recently the Kullu Valley was covered in thick alpine forests, home to a huge a diversity of wildlife and the source of sustenance for hundreds of villages. The forests provide many basic needs for the villagers, including fuel for cooking and heating, medicine, timber and animal fodder. They hold together the steep mountain slopes, preventing soil erosion and land slides, whilst regulating water flow in springs and streams and ensuring regular rainfall. Without the forests, the large population of villagers in the Kullu Valley would not have the resources to survive.

The forests are now receding at an unsustainable rate. The growing population of villagers and their increased demand for fuel, timber and fodder is putting pressure on the forests. The rising costs of living is forcing many people to expand their apple orchards (one of the main cash crops of the valley) further onto forest land, while some locals are turning to illegal timber smuggling as a way of making ends meet.

Tourism in the Kullu Valley also plays a role in deforestation as the hotels use large quantities of timber for their construction, and provide large amounts of firewood for winter tourists. However, the worst problem is the work of timber companies who are somehow given permission to desecrate huge areas of forest, shipping timber all around the world (see picture above). None of their profits are seen by local people.