Abstract ID: 3.12869 | Accepted as Talk | Talk | TBA | TBA

Ecological restoration is important for conserving biodiversity,especially in highly diverse,vulnerable forests, such as the temperate forests of the Central Himalayas.This study investigates the responses of vegetation, avifaunal and medium to large-sized mammal communities to ecological restoration by passive forest restoration in the private forests of the Gadoli and Manda Khal Fee Simple Estates in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India. Situated within the Western Himalayan Temperate Forest Ecoregion,these forests provide vital ecological services,including freshwater provisioning and habitat connectivity. The study area was originally tea estates, historically managed under working plans since 1953 and have faced extensive degradation due to illegal land use.Conservation interventions included action in legal forums followed by on-ground initiatives to secure these forests,their biodiversity and ecosystem services. Degraded areas were subject to passive forest regeneration, with protection from forest foot-patrols to reduce the intensity of illegal human entry and activity. To evaluate the effectiveness of these restoration efforts in maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, natural forests and restoration sites were mapped,and systematic vegetation,avifaunal,and mammal surveys were conducted. Plant species composition, abundance, and diversity were compared between natural and restored sites across 45 plots (Broadleaf Evergreen Forest:10–15, Needleleaf Forest:10–15, Restoration:10–15).Preliminary results suggest restoration areas form a distinct habitat type, with a mixed species pool. Comparing restoration to needleleaf forests,beta diversity was driven by turnover rather than nestedness,and when comparing to broadleaf evergreen forests,was driven by both. Stratifying habitats into regeneration (3m) layers,species filtering was observed both across and within habitats. Upperstories had lower species richness than regeneration and understory layers,while understories showed species accumulation. Our findings will contribute to understanding the role passive forest restoration plays in maintaining and in assisting the recovering of biodiversity within fragmented forest landscapes.This research highlights the importance and value of private forest protection and conservation in achieving long–term biodiversity conservation goals in the Central Himalayas by integrating ecological monitoring with conservation management.