Conservation and Management of Biodiversity in North East Hill Region of India

Abstract

The Northeastern States of India are endowed with a diverse range of physiographic and ecoclimatic conditions, and they serve as a geographical 'gateway' for much of India's indigenous flora and fauna. It is home to 17 crop species, accounting for 47 percent of the country's crop species diversity. The region receives around 10% (42.5 mhm) of the country's total precipitation of 420 mhm, with an annual average rainfall of 2000 mm. The region's forest cover is 14.2 million ha, or around 54.16 percent of total geographical area, which is greater than the national average (19.39%). The region is marked by fragility, marginality, inaccessibility, cultural heterogeneity, ethnicity, and biodiversity. Floristically, the region has 43 percent of all plant species found in India. The percentage of indigenous species is likewise large (39%). Sikkim has also identified two primitive maize varieties, Sikkim Primitive 1 and 2. The area is rich in medicinal plants as well as several rare and endangered taxa.