An overview of the Himalaya forests and their drivers of change

Forests are an important part of the Himalaya's biosphere. They cover an estimated 14% of the region but contribute importantly to the region's ecosystem services provision and biodiversity conservation. The large differences in growth conditions of the Himalayan mountain range contribute to a great variation of forest types. These include elevation and resulting differences in temperature and precipitation. As a result, tropical wet forests in the Himalayan foothills can be found in a relative near distance from subalpine forests. Forests like other natural habitats of the Himalaya are experiencing anthropogenic pressure, that is, land use change and extraction, often illegal, resulting in deforestation and forest degradation. Not only climate change but also other natural calamities contribute to the same outcomes. The total forest cover of the Himalaya appears still declining, but all countries with territory in the region are making efforts to reverse deforestation. This has been successful in at least in Bhutan, Nepal, and the Tibetan Autonomous Region.