The Himalayan community of Limi has enacted a ban on wildlife grazing and tourists picking herbs in the region's sensitive forest areas, according to the Rising Nepal.
Both of these factors have been a significant danger to the ecosystem. To back up the ban on harvesting, the ward has also banned the commercial sale of these medicinal herbs for the next three years. Limi is situated in Humla, a district of northwestern Nepal bordering Tibet.
"Anyone found violating this decision will be prosecuted under the prevailing laws. This measure aims to protect natural resources, maintain environmental balance and preserve local biodiversity," said ward chairman Paljor Tamang, per the Rising Nepal.
The region is home to a wide range of beneficial plants, including Asteraceae, which is used to treat headaches and skin blemishes, Cupressaceae for other skin conditions, and Lamiaceae for stomach problems.
Himalayan natural spaces are already under high stress from visitors. Maintaining native vegetation is important for supporting the wide range of unique wildlife in the area. Snow leopard, Himalayan wolf, Tibetan gazelle, and argali are just some of the vulnerable species seen in the area. The wild yak, once thought extinct, was rediscovered in the region.
The ban on the commercial sale of medicinal herbs is not applicable to locals, only visitors. The area has had a sudden exodus due to deteriorating infrastructure and limited economic opportunity. Foreigners taking away the primary revenue source for those still living in the area may dissuade any population from coming back.
As remote as the community may be, it is not immune to the destructive shifts in weather patterns caused by increasing atmospheric pollution. Flash floods recently destroyed 18 houses and five bridges in the region.
The Humla district is not entirely without support. The Humla Fund has been organizing finances and other means of preserving the culture and ecology of the region, while also providing needed health care to locals.
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