Quantification of ecosystem services providing socio-economic benefits to customary owners of natural resources in Pauri, western Himalaya

Climate change has negative consequences for the biophysical environment and an observable impact on flows of ecosystem services. Considering the high relevance of ecosystem services, it is imperative to analyze the present status of ecosystem services flows, for effective planning to cope with natural and anthropogenic catastrophes. It is equally important to identify drivers of natural resource deterioration. In a study conducted among 545 randomly selected households in 91 villages along an altitudinal gradient (<1200 m asl (zone A), 1200–1800 m asl (zone B), >1801 m asl (zone C)) in Pauri District, Uttarakhand, India, a multi-disciplinary bottom-up, indicator-based approach was applied for identification and normalization of indicators pertaining to ecosystem services. The greatest reduction in ecosystem services was recorded in zone A (0.56), followed by zone B (0.46) and C (0.35). The greatest estimated deterioration was seen in supportive (0.48) and regulatory (0.47) services. The perspective provided can facilitate adaptive management of ecosystems along an altitudinal gradient in the Himalayas, e.g., the district-level quantification of ecosystem services can guide policy-makers and planners towards more efficient adaptation planning and help minimize the gap between local requirements and policy/program formulation.