GeographyThe country can be divided into three main geographical regions:
Himalayan Region
The altitude of this region ranges between 4877 meters and 8848 meters with the now line running around 488848 meters. It includes 8 of the existing 14 summits in the world which exceed the altitude of 8000 meters. They are: (1) Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) - 8848 m (2) Kangchenjunga - 8586 m, (3) Lhotse - 8516 m, (4) Makalu - 8463 m, (5) Cho Oyo - 8201 m, (6) Dhaulagiri - 8167 m, (7) Manaslu - 8163 m, and (8) Annapurna - 8091 m.
Mountain Region
This region accounts for about 64 percent of total land area. The Mahabharat range that rises upto 4877 meters forms it. To its south lies the lower Churia range whose altitude varies from 610 meters to 1524 meters.
Terai Region
The lowland Terai region, which has a width of about 26 to 32 kilometers and an altitude maximum of 305 meters, occupies about 17 percent of total land area of the country. Kechanakawal, the lowest point of the country with an altitude of 70 meters lies in Jhapa District of the eastern Terai.
All this adds up one interesting fact that there is no seasonal constraint on travelling in and through Nepal. Even in December and January, when the winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and brilliant views. Winter days often begin in mist, which can last until noon. Then suddenly, as if by magic, the fog disappears bringing in to views snowy peaks, glistening white and fresh against the large blue sky.
Nepal experiences 4 seasons :
spring (Mar - May),
summer (Jun - Aug),
autumn (Sep - Nov) and
winter (Dec - Feb).
The climate is varied ranging from the sub-tropical Terai to the cool dry temperate and alpine climate in the northern Himalayan ranges. In the Terai, the hottest part of the country, summer temperatures may rise as high as 40°C. The climate is hot and humid. In the midmountain region, the summer climate is mild with temperatures around 25°C - 27°C.
The winter temperatures range from 7°C to 23°C in the Terai and subzero to 12°C in the mountain regions and valleys. The northern Himalayan region has an alpine climate. The valley of Kathmandu has a pleasant equable climate with average summer and winter temperatures of 19°C - 27°C and 2°C - 12°C respectively.
The Kingdom of Nepal covers an area of 147,181 square kilometers, and stretches 145-241 kilometers north to south and 850 kilometers west to east. The country is located between India in the south and China in the north. At latitudes 26 and 30 degrees north and longitudes 80 and 88 degrees east, Nepal is topographically divided into three regions: the Himalaya to the north, the hills consisting of the Mahabharat range and the Churia Hills in the middle, and the Terai to the south. Elevations are varied in the kingdom. The highest point is Mt. Everest (8848 m) in the north and the lowest point (70 meters above sea level) is located at Kechana Kalan of Jhapa District. Altitude increases as you travel south to north. In the north temperatures are below -40°C and in the Terai, temperatures rise to 40°C in the summer. During June, July and August, the kingdom is influenced by monsoon clouds.
Bird Watching
About 850 species of birds are found in Nepal. With the opening of Koshi Tappu Reserve, bird watching is gaining grounds in Nepal. Koshi Tappu alone has recorded over 250 species of birds. Rare birds include Impeyean pheasant, the national bird, snow cock, snow pigeon, giant horn-bill, saras crane and babblers. The spiny babbler is a rare endemic variety found only in Nepal. Every year migratory birds from Tibet, Siberia and the northern mountains fly to the lowlands and Terai of Nepal. The Koshi Barrage is one of the most important migratory habitats. Bird watching is a very pleasant experience during late autumn and early spring when the migration occurs. Other parks and reserves also attract more birds and birdwatchers.
Flower Tour
Nepal is rich in vegetation. The country's diverse terrain provides ideal conditions for varieties from tropical to hill plants and flowers. Some orchids and certain varieties of rhododendron are very rare and found only in Nepal. Lali Guras or the red rhododendron is the national flower of Nepal. During the right seasons most visitors who come to explore the natural beauty of the country, are fortunate to have a glimpse of spectacular sights of hills covered with rhododendron flowers. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for flowers in Nepal
The Asiatic Elephant is found in great numbers in the Royal Bardia National Park in western Nepal. This park is on a traditional elephant migratory route from the western Terai to Corbett National Park in India. The one horned Rhinoceros can be found in the parks along the Terai. There are very few buffalo left in the wild (unlike parts of Africa) although there is a small herd near the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in the eastern Terai. The tiger is an endangered species, and the leopard or panther is even more elusive. And again most elusive is the snow leopard the mammal of fables, stories and novels and rare sightings.
The wild dog, the golden jackal and the striped hyena are there too throughout Nepal. And the ubiquitous wild boar, a meat favoured by the Nepalese at festival time.
All the National parks of Nepal have a variety of these animals and it is possible to have specific journeys designed to sight some of these but as to whether you will see the more elusive felines, that will be a matter of luck.
Nepal boasts 848 recorded species of birds. An ardent bird watcher can travel the length and breadth of Nepal doing little else but bird watching. Birding is possible everywhere in Nepal from the hot plains in the south, the Kathmandu Valley in the mid hills, to the mountainous regions of the north.
The Kathmandu Valley has four major bird watching areas, and one can start on the banks of the Bagmati and Manohra rivers. Birds sighted along these rivers are the Egrets, Herons, Kingfishers, Ibisbill, Wood Sandpipers and Plovers. The Chobar gorge is particularly recommended as an area for birds as its isolation from human habitation has encouraged their presence.
hulchowki is another ideal site, with a Red-headed Trogan, a very rare bird sighted there in April 2000. (It was last seen in Nepal 44 years ago.) Phulchowki is 2760 metres and 18kms southeast of Kathmandu, and is reached via Godavari and the Botanical gardens. Walking can start from behind the gardens, with a combination of trails and roads. The hillside is covered with forest featuring outstanding flora as well as diverse birds. About 90 species have been recorded in this area including the endemic Spring Babbler, as well as the Cutia, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Rufous Bellied Pied Woodpeckers and the Black-throated Parrotbill, to name a few.
Two other areas of the valley are The Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve, 12kms north of the city, and Nagarjun in the north west. Shivapuri can be reached two ways, either from Sundarijal or Budanilkaantha. The reserve is managed by the Nepalese Army and it costs NRs. 250/- for foreigners to enter. (NRs. 1,000/- is charged for a movie or video camera). Some of the birds in this area are the Laughing Thrush, Crested Serpent Eagle, Little Pied Fly Catchers, Ruby - Throats, and Babblers. At Nagarjun at 2105 metres pheasants, magpies, sunbirds and ruby-throats are found.
Koshi Barrage and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve are in the eastern Terai, to the far east of Nepal. The Koshi is great for waterfowl and waders, with about 26 varieties of ducks alone. Here the method of viewing is by boat, gliding through the waters in the stillness of the early morning and evenings. Over 450 species have been sighted here, including Black Ibis, Honey Kites, Ospreys, Black Headed Orioles, Peregrine Falcon, Partidges, and storks.
Chitwan is in the lowlands of Nepal, known as the Terai. The Royal Chitwan National Park is the best known site in Nepal for bird-watching. Bird watching needs to be done from the safety of a chair, the back of an elephant or in a jeep (by far the last In Pokhara , 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu, the forests around the banks of Phewa Lake and Begnas Lake are ideal for bird watching, particularly in the less inhabited areas. In winter around Phewa Lake you find egrets, herons, pipits, buntings plus gulls, terns, ducks and falcons. Begnas Lake has slopes and wet fields surrounding it, where ducks, pheasant-tailed Jacana, Happie Grey Bellied Tesias, and bulbuls are seen.
Royal Bardia National Park is covered with Sal forest and riverine forest and grassland much like Chitwan, but Bardia has the mighty Karnali river flowing by the park. Boating on the Karnali is a great way to see the birds, and one would see the Ruddy Shellduck, Oriental Pied Hornbills, Night Herons and Purple Herons, plus many more. In the higher areas of Nepal the trek routes are good for birdwatching, including the Jomson Trek, the Annapurna Recently a rare bird known as Jerdon's Baza was sighted in Nepal.
Over the past few years a conservation group has worked specifically in the Lumbini area to conserve the Sarus Crane. Wetlands have been constructed in the Lumbini area to provide refuge for Sarus Cranes and other wetland birds.
Four hundred thousand saplings have been planted in the area of the crane sanctuary. The cranes are among the world s most endangered of birds, the world s tallest flying bird, it is thought there are fewer than 500 remaining in Nepal. In dedication to the Sarus Crane a thangka has been made called Wheel of Crane Conservation for use as educational material, with the art based on the Buddhist wheel of life philosophy.
Butterflies have been studied in Nepal for over 150 years, with much of the original study and collection done by the British, including one or two British Residents (i.e. British Consuls of the day). After 1950 the Japanese became involved in collection through scientific expeditions, and this resulted later in the establishment by Tribhuvan University of the Natural History Museum at Swayambhu in 1974. 
The record books state that Nepal has 11 out of the 15 families of butterflies in the world, or over 500 species, and still today in the 21st century new species keep turning up. It is said that you never really know with Nepal's butterflies; they just may turn up unexpectedly . From 1974 to 1981, only a period of seven years, a further 24 specimens or sub-families were added to the records, and in 1981 two alone, the BLUE DUCHESS and the SIKKIM HAIRSTREAK were discovered, with this last one known only from a single specimen from Sikkim, with this one female found in 1981 in Godavari, Kathmandu Valley ; and later in 1986 an entirely new race of the CHINESE HAIRSTREAK turned up. The original collectors were not allowed outside the Kathmandu Valley, so much of their research documented only the valley. Only after 1950 when Nepal opened up to expeditions and limited tourism, did the butterfly collectors venture outside the valley.
Nepal is divided into 5 regions based on altitude, and the seasons are specified as Spring, Pre-monsoon, Summer-monsoon, Post-monsoon, Autumn and Winter. In winter below 3,000 metres.
Within the Kathmandu Valley, the climate which is quite mild with day temperatures reaching 18ºC in mid-winter, there are butterflies all the year round. The best seasons for butterfly watching are late March/April, mid May/ mid June, late August/September. There are forested areas in the valley which are still remarkable places for butterflies, and they include open country near Chobar and there is very little activity except for the very common Oriental Species, with the distribution of butterflies in Nepal being quite specific with about 10% of the butterflies being Palaearctic species above 3,000 metres, and about 90% Oriental species Swyambhu; the base of the hills and forest streams at Godavari, Nagarjun, Budhanilkantha and Sundarijal; the forested hilltops of Phulchowki, Jamachowk and Shivapuri, and the open scrubby bush areas of Nagarkot , Suryavinyak and Chandragiri.
There are about 20 Kathmandu Valley species on the endangered or vulnerable list. Outside the valley in the areas of the National Parks scattered throughout the country, the butterflies too are in profusion, and in undisturbed areas away from settlements are the ideal places to sit and watch.
In the years from 1950 onwards more than 200 new species of plants were discovered in Nepal. Prior to this the gathering and cataloguing was the prerogative of plant specialists such as Buchanan Hamilton, Wallich, Hooker and Burkill. In the 1920s two Nepalese collectors working for the British Museum amassed new plants for botanical science. Once Nepal opened its frontiers explorers and scientists carried out organised expeditions in the field of botany.
Prior to the 1950s Nepal's knowledge of its plants was limited mainly to local herbalists and medical practitioners (Ayurvedic Vaidhyas, Kabirajs) who collected plants in the wild for medicines. This practice and knowledge was passed down through the generations with little documentation.
In the 1960s a systematic study was prepared based on modern scientific methods by the Department of Medicinal Plants of His Majesty's Government of Nepal, with a herbarium started at the same time. Staff members were sent out for botanical collection and attached also to foreign expeditions engaged in botanical explorations. After this the herbarium had acquired over 60,000 specimens of vascular plants. Staff members were also sent to the famous herbariums of the world, such as Calcutta, Dehra Dun, Kew, Grenoble and Washington D.C. for training. By the 1970s there were 3121 species of Angrosperms, 24 species of Gymnosperms and 308 species of Pteridophytes, with 1,242 genera and 210 families of plants.
For ecology and vegetation purposes Nepal could be divided into four floristic regions i.e. (a) western (b) north-western (c) central, and (d) eastern, and bio- climatically these are broken down into twenty regions from humid tropical climate to the alpine arid regions. But for the purpose of identifying Nepal s flora for the special interest tourist, the following shows the zones from the point of view of altitude i.e. Tropical zone (below 1,000 m), Sub Tropical Zone (1,000 to 2,100 m), Temperate Zone (2,100 to 3,100 m), Sub Alpine Zone (3,100 to 4,100 m), the Alpine Zone (4,100 to 4,500 m), and the Alpine Steppe region.
In the Tropical zone, consisting of the Terai, Siwalik hills and the Dun valleys, with warm humid climate the natural vegetation is dominated by Shorea robusta, plus Dillenca, Terminalia, Adina, Careya, Eugenia and Salmalia to name a few.
In eastern Nepal still in the tropical zone there is Cycas pectinata, Gentum montanum, Calamis sp, Padamus sp, Cyathea spiolusa, and Podocarpus nereifolius.
In the Sub-Tropical zone in eastern and central Nepal there is Schima-Castanopsis, where as in western Nepal Pinusroxbugnii. Dry oak forest of Quercus incana, Q. lantana with certain quantities of Rhododendron arboreum, and Lyonia ovalifolia occur on southern aspects usually below the pines.
The Temperate zone contains evergreen oaks, Rhododendrons and laurels in eastern and central Nepal, while in western Nepal it is the zone of evergreen coniferous forest on the one hand and deciduous mixed forest on the other. In western Nepal quite a few west Himalayan plants like Cedrus deodara, Cupressus, torulosa, Picea smithiana, Abies pindron, Aesculus indicus, and Juglans regia occur frequently. East Himalayan trees like Quercus lamellosa, Daphnephyllum himalayanse, Magnolia campbellii, Talauma hudsonii, do not occur further west of central Nepal. The upper level of the temperate zone usually has a band of Tsuga dumosa and Rhododendron barbatum forest between the temperate broad-leaved forest and the sub-alpine conifer-oak forest. A distinct belt of deciduous forest consisting of Acer, Magnolia and Pentapanax, occurs in the montane zone of eastern Nepal.
In the Sub-Alpine zone coniferous forest of Abies spectabilis is found at the lower levels and Betula-Rhododendron carysanulatum forest at upper levels near the timber line. Many species of Rhododendron occur in eastern Nepal and their number falls as one travels towards central and western Nepal.
The Alpine zone consists of moist scrub vegetation above the timber line of mostly Rhododendron, Juniperus and Berberis. Beyond the alpine scrub meadows, rocks and screes, there are colourful herbs, grasses and sedges, namely Meconopsis, Primula, Gentiana, Croydalis and Saxifraga. Many new species of plants indigenous to Nepal have been discovered in the alpine and sub-alpine zones.
Alpine steppe vegetation lies north of the Dhaulagiri Annapurna massif and the heads of inner valley Himalayas - consisting of grasses and sedges with cushions of Cavagana, Lonicera, Juniperus and Berberis. First of all visit The Godavari Botanical Gardens in Kathmandu, then plan your journey from there.
Tropical Zone - Winter - November to March and Spring - The Terai, Royal Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve , Royal Chitwan National Park , Royal Bardiya National Park , Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve .
Sub-Tropical Zone - Winter and Spring - November to March - Royal Gardens, Godavari Nagarjun Royal Forests, Phulchoki Hills, Shivapuri Hills, Mahabharat and Chure Range of Hills
Temperate Zone - Spring and Autumn - Pokhara , Central west and eastern Nepal, Langtang National Park .
Sub-Alpine Zone - Spring and Autumn - Makalu-Barun National Park , Sagarmatha National Park , Dolpo, Jumla, Humla, Manang, Jomsom, Upper Mustang, Dhorpatan, Helambu
Alpine Zone - Monsoon - July, August and September - Higher Himalayan Belts, Gosaikunda, Annapurna Region, Everest Region, Upper Dolpo, Upper Makalu- Barun Area.
To the geological world, Shaligram is one of the coiled chambered fossil shells of the extinct Cepalopod Mullusks that came into existence as a part of the initial emergence of the Himalayan heights from the depths of the Tethys-sea millions of years ago. To the Nepalese however, the Shaligram features very prominently in their religious lives because of its embodiment of Vishnu, one of the major manifestations in the Hindu Trinity. Puranas like Scanda, Padam and Baraha written around 2,000 years ago, give an exhaustive account of Shaligram, which are divided into a wide variety of colour, shape and size. They can be found in the north of the Nilgiri mountain range right up to Damodar Kunda, and also in the waters of the Kaligandaki river right up to Tribeni in Dolal Ghat. However, the most popular belt is on the banks of the Kaligandaki river at Jomsom where the pilgrims who pass through on their way to Muktinath search for a wide variety of Shaligram. On the other hand, this belt also had a past in which non-Hindu tradesmen and local people, broke into pieces particularly the Shaligrams with golden streaks in them in their search for gold.
The tradition has it that the priest families particularly the ones that are involved in the ceremonies of a religious nature have been worshipping the Shaligram for aeons. Shaligrams do come in various forms and colours and one has to select a particular kind for worship depending upon what one wishes to achieve. The Shaligram is often placed on a copper plate over which water is poured, and then a Puja is performed. Later the water is drunk to purify the worshipper inside and outside. Under normal circumstances, it is believed that a sleek looking piece with a small mouth that fits within the fold of ones hand is ideal for worship.
In Riddi at Ruru Chhetra there is a Rishikesh temple in which the deity on a single huge piece of Shaligram measures nearly four feet in height.
In its legendary stories Nepal is a country where deities mingle with mortals and Shaligram is a symbol that has contributed to keep the glory and the sanctity of the sublime Himalayas intact.
Medicinal plants, Ayurveda and the Himalayas are intertwined in a very special manner and Nepal, right in the centre of the Himalayan region, has special significance. Medicinal plants are used in traditional rural remedies, Ayurveda medicines , Homoeopathic medicines, and many of them are also included in allopathic pharmacopeas.
The resource strained health services of Nepal, further complicated by an ever-unabated population growth, is said to serve only 15% of the 20 million population of the country giving only this small group access to modern health facilities. A large section of the population, mainly the rural people, still depend on primitive care such as traditional Ayurveda or herbal practitioners.
The use of locally available medicinal plants in the health care system of Nepal is a necessity, not a luxury.
The conservation, protection, cultivation and utilisation of this resource is a prime need of the country, of which thousands of species are available most of which are only available in the Himalayan Zone. The demand for these herbs is high and they can be cultivated on a large scale, but rare species of medicinal plants also need to be preserved.
Medicinal plants are an important component of the vegetation of Nepal, and the distribution pattern of medicinal plants has been found to be approximately 49.2% in the tropical zone (up to 1,000 meters), 53.96% in the sub-tropical zone (1,000 - 2,000 m), 35.7% in the temperate zone (2,000 - 3,000 m), 18.9% in the sub-alpine zone (3,000 - 4,000 m), and 7.14% in the alpine zone (4,000 m upwards). There are about 1,400 kinds of medicinal plants utilized by Ayurveda and traditional healers in Nepal.
Some of the important and wellknown medicinal plants follow: Alpine & sub-alpine medicinal plants: Aconitum Spp., Picrorrhiza scrophularaeflora, Swertia multicaulis, Rheum emodi, Nardostachys jatamansi, Ephedra gerardiana, Cordyceps sinensis, Dactylorhiza hatagirea.
Tropical and sub-tropical medicinal plants: Terminalias, Cassia fistula, Cassia catechu, Aegles marmelos, Rauwolfia serpentina, Phyllanthus emblica, Ricinus recemosus, Acorus clams, Acacia concinnity, Butte monster.
Temperate zone medicinal plants: Valeriana wallichii, Berberis, Datura, Solanum, Rubia, Zanthoxylum armatum, Gaultheria fragrautissima, Dioscorea deltoidea, Curulligo orchoidies.
Some of the regions where medicinal plants are abundantly found are, the Terai region of Nawalparasi, Chitwan, Bardiya, Dhanusha, Mid-hilly Region of Makawanpur, Syanja, Kaski, Lamgjung, Dolakha, Parvat, Ilam, Ramechhap, Nuwakot, and the Himalayan region of Dolpa, Mugu, Humla, Jumla, Manang, Mustang and Solukhumbu.
The institutions manufacturing Ayurveda medicinal products include Singha Durbar Vaidhya Khana Vikas Samiti, Kathmandu; Gorkha Ayurveda Company, Gorkha; Arogya Bhavan, Kathmandu; Siddha Ayurveda Pharmacy, Butwal; Pashupati Ayurveda Bhavan, Sarlahi; and Classical Herbal Group, Kathmandu Nowhere does nature manifest herself so vividly in all her playfulness as she does in the world of orchids. In their flowering pattern orchids are capable of mimicking a part of man as well as the animal world, at times, making us laugh. Monkey Face, Swan Neck, Little Bull, and The Velvet Bee are among the few names they have been given for their peculiar looks.
In ancient Rome, Theophrastus, a student of Plato, was intriqued by the sight of a plant with a pair of roots. Orchis was the name he gave them, the Greek word for testicles.
The world abounds with some 500 to 600 genera and some 20,000 to 35,000 names, the largest of all plant families, and out of this, Nepal has 57 genera (27 Terrestrials and 30 Epiphytic) with a few Lithophytes. Wide spread into different ecological zones, from the foot hills of the Himalayas to the plains in the Terai, the orchid-world in Nepal is immensely interesting for nature lovers and horticultural experts.
Some terrestrial orchids which flower during July-August have a stem with only two leaves and purple flowers; another orchid from the same genera in west Nepal flowers during February-March and is orange-green.
In March-April in Godavari there are orchids with greenish fragrant flowers, and in Shivapuri and Kakani orchids with white or pale yellow flowers. During September-October Sundarijal has green orchids streaked with purple, and on the way to Daman in November pale mauve orchids line the banks of the road. All of the above areas are accessible in a couple of hours or less from Kathmandu, with Dhankuta and Hetauda a little further away sporting yellow flowers, and in Khandbari purple-brown with pale borders.
Nepal is indeed endowed with an incredible variety of orchids scattered all over the Himalayan kingdom. Dedrobium is the largest species, followed by Habenaria and Bulbophyllum. Anthogonium, Hemipilia and Lusia are some of the other varieties amongst the nearly two dozen single species families.
No destination in Nepal is devoid of orchids including most of the trekking routes, and near Kathmandu the areas to visit are the Godavari Botanical Gardens to the south, Sundarijal to the north, Nagarjun to the west and Dhulikhel to the east. You will find orchids at one or more of these areas all year round.
During Spring - March to May - Rhododendron blooms can be seen in all the hilly regions of Nepal above 1,200 m altitude. More specifically, the mid mountain vertical belt between 2,000 and 4,000 m serves as the 'wild' preserve of the Rhodododendron, or GURANS and CHIMAL, the two words used in Nepali.
There are four major areas for Rhododendron treks -
- Milke Danda-Jaljale Himal, a transverse mountain range which separates the two river systems of the Tamur and the Arun
- Upper Tamur River Valley
- Makalu-Barun National Park
- Closer to Kathmandu - the Langtang Valley inside Langtang National Park
Nepal has 30 indigenous species of Rhododendron, and one which is endemic to Nepal and not found elsewhere, is R. lowndesit. It has lemon or creamy yellow flowers, which are short well-shaped and are solitary or in pairs on the stem. It grows in the drier areas of western Nepal near Muktinath and Phoksundo.
A Rhododendron trek to the Upper Tamur River would consist of a flight to Bhadrapur then a drive to Ilam. Ilam is the well-known tea production centre and could include some interesting side trips to tea plantations. From Ilam a trek can start to the south-west side of the Kanchenjunga area and the upper side valleys of the Tamur River system. Very grand sightings of Rhododendron can be assured in this region.
And closer to Kathmandu, Dhunche at 2,000 metres is a 5/6 hour drive away. Trekking can start here to the upper areas of the Langtang Valley. Nine species of Rhododendron can be seen in this region.
The best time is late March to mid June, and in addition to the Rhododendron, spring blooms of wild poppy, magnolia and primrose will make the trek a memorable one. Botany or flora trekking requires the same equipment, guides, porters and fitness as normal trekking in Nepal. The usual precautions need to be taken, and respect for the environment needs to be uppermost in the minds of the trekkers
Nepal has a variety of beautiful trees, of which the Banyan and the Peepul are associated with Hindu and Buddhist holy sites, frequently found beside temples and shrines. It is considered that the original tree under which Maya Devi gave birth to her son Gautama Siddhartha was not a peepul tree, but probably a Sal; it may have survived into the 6th or 7th century AD.
The Eucalyptus were introduced into Nepal from Australia in the 19th century, and in Kathmandu can be smelt as you walk along a street after rain has fallen. The Spruce, an evergreen, coniferous pine tree which took its name from Prussia where it traditionally came from; the Juniper another evergreen is a crucial ingredient in the flavouring of gin, and in medicines it is used as a diuretic. Laurel, or bay tree, is well known, and, The Cedar and Deodar are found throughout Nepal, with the cedar often used to make incense, and in west Nepal there is an indigenous Cypress called Himalayan Cypress. The treeline in Nepal is at 5,000 metres, and above this no trees are found.
In the Annapurna Conservation Area are Alpine Pasture, Alpine Meadow, Trans-Himalayan Steppe, Fire-Blue Pine Forest, Birch Forest, Rhododendron Forest, Sub-alpine Juniper Forest, Hemlock and Oak forest, Cypress Forest, East Himalayan Oak and Lauren Forest, Alder Forest, and Schima-Castanopsis Forest.
In the Kanchenjungha Conservation Area are Dwarf Rhododendron Scrub, Rhododendron shrubberies, Fir and Larch forest, Mixed broad leaved forest, East Himalayan Oak and Laurel, and Schim-Castanopsis Forest.
In the Khaptad National Park are Fir, Oak and Rhododendron Forest, West Himalayan Fir and Hemlock forest, Mountain oak, Mixed oak and laurel forest, Chir Pine and broad leaved forest.
In the Langtang National Park are Alpine pasure, juniper scrub, alpine meadow, dwarf rhododendron, juniper shrubs, fir and larch forest, mixed blue pin and oak forest, laurel and chir pine forest.
In the Makalu-Barun Conservation Area are alpine pasture, alpine meadow, and dwarf rhododendron scrub, fir and birch forest, and rhododendron shrubberies, temperate mountain oak, oak and laurel forest, Hill Sal Forest.
In Rara National Park are alpine mats and scrub, rhododendron and juniper shrubland, fire forest, mountain oak, upper temperate blue pine forest, and spruce. Mixed oak and laurel forest.
In the Shey-Phoksundo National Park are alpine pasture, alpine mats and scrub, trans- himalayan steppe, blue pine, birch, rhododendron forest, larch, mountain oak, cedar and cypress forest, deciduous walnut, maple, alder forest, steppe with Euphorbia, Royleana, Grasses and Artemisia
No comments:
Post a Comment