Micro-level sustainable biomass system development in central Himalaya: stress computation and biomass planning

Indian rural populations greatly depend on natural resources for meeting various biomass needs, especially in a geographically difficult area like the Himalayas. A number of external interventions in the form of expansion of commercial fuels, afforestation, harvesting renewable energy sources, dissemination of fuel saving devices etc have been introduced to attain sustainability in meeting the energy demands, but the major focus remains on the inherent potential of the biomass system to produce various biomass and meet fuel and fodder demands. <P>The present study analysed the biomass scenario in 25 villages in the Central Himalayas, identified issues in biomass planning, evolved methodologies for biomass estimation, computed enduse-wise stress and devised biomass management methodology. Possibilities of attaining sustainability in meeting fuel wood and fodder demands were reviewed based on the data from ten villages and the methodology has been detailed by taking the case of Nauli village. The methodology also suggests the ways by which biomass planning may be integrated with non-biomass resources, technologies and schemes. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.