Background: Documenting traditional knowledge of medicinal plants has enabled researchers to obtain a good understanding of the consumption patterns of plants for basic healthcare purposes. This study highlighted the ethnobotanical significance of medicinal and aromatic plants in the biodiversity hotspot landscape of the western Himalayan region of Kashmir. Methods: Extensive field visits were made to collect traditional ethnobotanical knowledge from the study area through group discussions in the local language using the questionnaire method. The acquired data was then analyzed using quantitative ethnobotanical measures such as Use Value (UV) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC). Results: Our findings revealed 72 plant species belonging to 51 genera and 16 families. The dominant families recorded were Lamiaceae and Apiaceae followed by Polygonaceae. Among plant parts, leaves were the most frequently used, followed by roots. The majority of the studied plants were herbaceous, accounting for 90.3% of the area flora. Based on the medicinal plant use category, 72 plant species with medicinal uses were identified. According to the Use Value and Relative Frequency Citation, Saussurea costus and Angelica cyclocarpa had remarkably high values of 1.38 and 0.68, respectively. Conclusions: These findings complement the considerable plant knowledge of the local population, confirming the traditional usage of plants in indigenous healing. People in Muzaffarabad continue to have vital information about native flora, even though younger individuals are losing it as a consequence of socioeconomic changes. There is a need to raise awareness among local populations about the sustainable use and conservation of medicinal flora. Keywords: Medicinal plants, Kashmir Himalayas, Field survey, Ethnobotanical knowledge, Aromatic plants

Abies pindrow is a keystone tree species of temperate forests in the Himalayan range with immense ecological significance. The current study was designed to investigate the spatial distribution, population structure, associated flora, and sustainability of Abies pindrow in the temperate forests of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. Vegetation data were collected from 48 forest sites distributed in six districts of AJK with respect to the geography, microclimates, and vegetation structure by employing a systematic quadrate-based methodology. Abies pindrow populations were characterized by an average stem density of 183.9 trees/ha with an average basal area cover of 789 cm. A. pindrow populations showed a regeneration value of 555.6 seedlings/ha. A digital elevation model revealed that A. pindrow exhibited a large extent of distribution in an altitudinal range of 1800–3400 m. GIS analysis identified that north-facing slopes with a moderate degree of slope steepness constitutes the preferred habitat of the species in the Kashmir mountains. A floristic analysis revealed that a total of 282 species from 74 plant families comprised the associated flora of A. pindrow-dominated forests with Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana, Aesculus indica, and Viburnum grandiflorum as codominant companion species. A. pindrow forests exhibited significant levels of species diversity and richness with average values of Simpson’s diversity as 0.94, Shannon’s diversity as 3.09, species richness as 1.45, and maturity index value as 45.9%. The A. pindrow populations in the study area were found to be subjected to significant deforestation pressure along with overgrazing and erosion impacts. Results provide valuable scientific information for the conservation management of A. pindrow populations, ensuring the sustainability of temperate forest ecosystems in the Western Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Indigenous knowledge provides insights into the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants used in local communities for basic healthcare. This research focuses on documenting the medical knowledge of rural communities that rely on medicinal plants in their traditional healthcare practices in the district of Muzaffarabad, Kashmir Himalayas. A field survey was carried out in 2022 and 2023 to collect data on wild medicinal plants. Informants were selected at random to learn about indigenous medical practices through semi-structured interviews and group discussions with 95 informants. The ethnomedicinal data were quantitatively analyzed using indices of use value (UV) and relative frequency citation (RFC). The study area documented 57 medicinal plants from 34 different families. Polygonaceae was the most dominant family, contributing 14.03% to medicinal plants, followed by Lamiaceae (10.52%) and Rosaceae (7.01%). Among medicinal plants, communities predominantly used herbs (64.91%) and leaves (29.09%) to treat several health problems. Mentha longifolia had the highest reported use value (1.71), and Bergenia ciliata had the highest recorded RFC value (0.72). Rural inhabitants continue to rely on wild medicinal plants as their primary source of medication. The transmission of indigenous knowledge to descendants is steadily declining and is primarily limited to healthcare practitioners and the elderly. These communities have kept important indigenous knowledge, which must be preserved for sustainable resource management and conservation. A more extensive field exploration is required to discover all of the indigenous knowledge in rural areas of Kashmir.

Background: Himalayan forests are crucial for ecological roles but face threats from natural and human factors. This study examines tree diversity, regeneration patterns, and human-induced threats in the Kashmir Western Himalayas. We use indices and multivariate analysis to investigate species richness, composition shifts, and the impact of ongoing anthropogenic threats on forest ecosystems. Methods: Vegetation sampling was conducted at 45 sites in the Kashmir Himalayas, at elevations of 600 to 3600 m. Data were collected using quadrat methods. To investigate species diversity, composition, and human influences, statistical analyses such as Shannon and Simpson indices, Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), and regression models were performed using R software and OriginPro. Results: A total of 33 tree species were recorded in different ecological zones: the temperate zone had the most species (22), followed by the subtropical zone (16) and the subalpine zone (7). The temperate zone had the highest Shannon index (2.15 ± 0.24) and Simpson index (0.86 ± 0.03), while the subalpine zone had the lowest Simpson index (0.48 ± 0.20). The subtropical zone had the highest evenness index (0.95 ± 0.04). PCA showed that PC1 explained 37.2% of the variation and PC2 explained 14.9%. Human-induced disturbances were significant drivers of species composition shifts, particularly in the subtropical and temperate zones, accounting for 11% of the variation. Picea smithiana had the highest density in the temperate zone (615.62 individuals per hectare). The regression analysis indicated a quadratic relationship between tree density and DBH (R² values from 0.66641 to 0.92089). Regeneration patterns varied: Pinus roxburghii had high seedling density in the subtropical zone, while Abies pindrow and Pinus wallichiana regenerated well in the temperate zone, and recruitment was limited in the subalpine zone. Conclusion: Elevation significantly influences on tree diversity and regeneration patterns, while human-induced factors shape species composition. Anthropogenic activities notably affect tree diversity, especially at lower elevations, thereby threatening ecosystem resilience. This study emphasizes the necessity of sustainable forest management practices to mitigate human impacts and promote forest regeneration, particularly in subtropical and temperate zones.

The indigenous communities of the Kashmir region are exclusively dependent on medicinal plants for the treatment of various gynecological disorders. Due to the remoteness and unavailability of modern medications, indigenous communities still use traditional healthcare practices to cure various diseases related to women. The specific objective of this study is to document the traditional ethno-gynecological knowledge in Neelum Alley. Field visits were conducted from April to November 2023 to gather data on medicinal plants used for gynecological problems. Both questionnaires and group discussions were used to collect the data. The gathered data was analyzed using a variety of quantitative metrics, such as use value (UV), and relative frequency citation (RFC). A total of 45 plant species belonging to 22 families were collected from the study area. Herbs made up the majority of the medicinal plants employed by indigenous populations (91.1%), whereas leaves, the most often used plant part, contributed 22.22%. Among medicinal plants, Geranium wallichianum had the highest use value (1.41), whereas Arnebia benthamii had the highest relative frequency citation (0.80). This study emphasizes how important it is to preserve traditional knowledge, pointing out that younger people are losing understanding due to a lack of interest. The documentation of traditional ethno-gynecological knowledge is crucial for the preservation, discovery of novel medications, and sustainable conservation of vulnerable medicinal flora.

Human activities and climate change accelerate habitat loss and fragmentation, threatening medicinal plants and rare species that play important roles in m