The Western Ghats of India are one of the 8 identified biological hotspots of the world. They harbour many unique and indigenous species of plants and animals. When one considers the faunal wealth of India, the Ghats host anything from 10 per cent to 40 per cent of India's flora and fauna. The diversity decreases gradually, as one moves northwards.

The key to environmental quality lies in scientific land and water management. While the maintenance of the country's basic biological productivity through proper land and water management is of vital ecological concern, the preservation of its genetic diversity and conservation of its species and ecosystems for sustainable utilisation is of crucial importance for the future survival and development of our people.

Urbanisation And Conservation

A study carried out in the areas between Bhimashankar to the north, and Mahabaleshwar and the south of Khandala has helped in identifying specific drivers impacting the ecosystem and the biodiversity of the area. The causes in descending order were urbanisation, industrialisation, forest fires, recreational activities, pollution, dams and reservoirs, transportation, hunting and poaching, farming and grazing, mining and quarrying. Surprisingly, recreational activities were found to be in the fourth position of impacting factors. The impoverished Northern Western Ghats also support various vertebrate species, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fishes as well as flowering plant species, which are now threatened and are in danger of becoming either rare or extinct.

The first step towards preservation of the biodiversity entails the classification of the ecosystem types to ensure the conservation of as many representative examples of each as possible.