Debabrata Saha

Biography

Achievements: Socio-ecological research of Illicium griffithii wildstands, one of the highly traded medicinal plants of Western Arunachal Pradesh, was done at three different disturbance index level. A total of 343 NTFPs documented with their use pattern and market trends which were used by 5 major communitiesviz., Aka, Miji, Bugun, Sherdukpen and Monpa communities of Western Arunachal Pradesh. Identified 23 potential NTFPs which can fetch high income to the local people in Arunachal Pradesh. Developed a “Long term strategy for threat assessment and monitoring conservation status of medicinal plants of India” and submitted to UNDP and MoEFCC, New Delhi. A total of 46 species and one varietyof medicinal plants was assessed globally for their conservation status using IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, and published in IUCN Red List. http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Developed manuscript on “100 Red Listed Indian Medicinal Plants – Depiction and Illustration of the species” and submitted to UNDP and MoEFCC, New Delhi. Conservation Assessment and Management Prioritization (CAMP) workshop conducted in Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur. Medicinal plants species were assessed regionally for their conservation status using IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria and reports published. Implemented a national project on “Mainstreaming Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plant Diversity in Three Indian States” supported by GOI-UNDP-GEF as national project manager. Project on “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plants Resources in Tripura – Linking Institutional, Ecological and Economic Management of Resources” has been implemented successfully in Tripura. A training manual developed on “Sustainable wild collection of medicinal plants of Tripura” and used to train various stakeholders in the state. Total 19 research papers, manuals, books and reports published

Research Interest

Socio-Ecological characterization of forest ecosystem. Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) and Landscape characterization using geospatial tools to support conservation strategy Non-timber forest products (NTFP) and livelihoods Threat assessment and conservation of medicinal plants