Use of Geographic Information System and direct survey methods to detect spatial distribution of wild olive (Olea cuspidata Wall.) from high mountain forests of Northwestern Nepal.

摘要

Vast areas of dry subtropical evergreen forests of Olea cuspidata in the northwestern mountains of Nepal have been abandoned in recent decades. The status of this species was found to be very poor in almost all the areas of our study sites, located in Bajura district. However, the lack of past information on this species did not allow us to determine the exact number of hectares that have declined. Overgrazing, illegal cuttings, and lack of environmental awareness were found to be the major causes of Olea spp. forest degradation. Direct survey and Geographic Information System (GIS) methods were used to create a current distribution map of wild olive. Potential sites based on the sparse population and dense patches of wild olive were still found in Bajura. A large amount of wild olive fruit was found unused in these area. If properly managed, subsistence farming of this fruit can be an income supplement for the poorest and vulnerable local communities. The scope of our study was to map the vulnerable status of one of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)-listed wild olive species from the remote far-western district of Bajura. The necessity of an immediate national policy is discussed to develop and consolidate control techniques and ecological restoration strategies based on conservation and sustainable approaches in order to prevent future decline of native plant diversity.Digital Object Identifier http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10549811.2012.704769