Trees for Ecotourism

Why Trees?
The Sikkim Human Development Report 2014 recognised tourism as one of the potential sectors for growth and livelihood creation. Situated at the south-eastern corner of the tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim, the Pangolakha range has been selected to implement the plantation project. Plantation of trees at the forest ranges and in their surrounding villages will help in the ecological and wildlife restoration, and in improving the quality of life of local communities, making them more self-sustained. The tourism sector has emerged as the vital industry of Sikkim in recent decades, providing direct employment to at least 40,000 people.

India has two out of the eighteen biodiversity hot-spots in the world, located in the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas. As per the Sikkim ENVIS Report, Sikkim covers only 0.2% geographical area of the country landmass and has been identified as one of the hot-spot in the Eastern Himalayas. The Himalayas are continuously under global pressure of climate change, which is adversely impacting its fragile ecosystems, rich biodiversity, and sensitive local livelihoods. Forests and climate change are intimately intertwined. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the forests capture atmospheric carbon dioxide at a rate equivalent to about one-third the amount released annually by burning fossil fuels. Stopping deforestation and regenerating forests, therefore, could provide up to 30 per cent of the climate solution.

Social Impact
The tree plantation will help in promoting sustainable eco-tourism and wildlife tourism by improving the overall ecological health and enhancing wildlife habitat in a particular area. The plantation project of 70,000 trees in Sikkim is speculated to create over 5,700 workdays for the rural and tribal communities of Sikkim, including women self-help groups. Indigenous communities are the ones that know their forests the best and that’s why they are encouraged to get involved in plantation activities starting from the pit digging process to their maintenance after the maturity of trees. Through trees, the local communities will be able to attain sustainable income sources in the form of timber-based produce and non-timber forest produces. In terms of carbon offsetting, these trees are going to offset approximately 1.4 million kgs of carbon dioxide! These trees will also help in conserving the local flora and fauna by providing them with adequate food and natural habitat sources.

Adoption Status:

• 
  Common Name
  Silver Fir
  
  Botanical Name
  Abies alba
• 
  Common Name
  Tooni
  
  Botanical Name
  Toona ciliata
• 
  Common Name
  Pani Saj
  
  Botanical Name
  Eurya japonica
• 
  Common Name
  Kaijal
  
  Botanical Name
  Bischofia javanica
• 
  Common Name
  Chinday
  
  Botanical Name
  Pentapanax leschenaulti
• 
  Common Name
  Rhododendron
  
  Botanical Name
  Rhododendron kiusianum
• 
  Common Name
  Lakhuri
  
  Botanical Name
  Araucaria bindrabunensis
• 
  Common Name
  Chan
  
  Botanical Name
  Santalum album
• 
  Common Name
  Titey Chaap
  
  Botanical Name
  Phlogacanthus thursiflorus
• 
  Common Name
  Kafal
  
  Botanical Name
  Myrica esculenta
• 
  Common Name
  Asarey
  
  Botanical Name
  Viburnum erubescens
• 
  Common Name
  Faladho
  
  Botanical Name
  N/A
• 
  Common Name
  Khanakpa
  
  Botanical Name
  Evodia fraxinifolia
• 
  Common Name
  Peepli
  
  Botanical Name
  Exbucklia populnea
• 
  Common Name
  Chilaunay
  
  Botanical Name
  Schima wallichii
• 
  Common Name
  Mushuray Katush
  
  Botanical Name
  Castanopsis hystrix
• 
  Common Name
  Paarang
  
  Botanical Name
  Mimosa procera
• 
  Common Name
  Lokta
  
  Botanical Name
  Daphne spp.