There is limited information on the ecological effects of anthropogenic disturbance caused by extractive activities such as grazing and firewood collection. A study was carried out in Sariska Tiger Reserve in India, to investigate the effects of disturbance on forest bird communities.

Mangrove forests, though essentially common and wide-spread, are highly threatened. Local societies along with their knowledge about the mangrove also are endangered, while they are still underrepresented as scientific research topics. With the present study we document local utilization patterns, and perception of ecosystem change.

In the Himalayas, subsistence largely depends upon resources derived from natural forests due to the free and easy access to these and simplicity in their use. Sikkim has 43% of its total geographical area under forest cover, of which 34% is under dense forests. The burgeoning human population and family fragmentation are exerting a tremendous pressure on the natural resources to meet the requirements of food, fuel, fodder, timber and other human needs. In recent years, tourism has increased manifolds in Sikkim, which has been one of the major factors behind destruction of forests.

pipeline blast: Suspected tribal rebels recently blew up a gas pipeline in Pakistan. This led to the closure of the nearby Uch power plant, which is owned jointly by the US and the uk, for the

Mangroves, although have unique ecological characteristics and multifarious uses are in a very much degraded state. In Orissa, except Bhitarkanika, the small patches of mangroves which are available along the coastal track are considered as the relics of a glorious past when thousands hectare of land was covered with mangroves.

INDIANS ELECTED: Two Indian scientists, Goverdhan Mehta and Anupam Varma, have been elected to the International Council for Science (ICSU) regional committee for Asia and the Pacific. Mehta, former