Plant and Disease Association in Forested Areas in Jhargram District of West Bengal, India

Forests play the most important role among ecosystem service providers. Forest ecosystem services are considered fundamental to the daily life of human beings. Ecological life-support systems address the control of essential products and services such as human health, life, and livelihoods by forest ecosystem services. Many products including forest wood, honey, perfume, and medicinal plants are common timber and non-timber products of our daily life. Forest ecosystem services also play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature, climate change, soil quality, nutrient cycle, etc. Based on empirical observations, it has been found that the people living in forested areas of the district have extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and their therapeutic potential. They also use these plant resources to treat sick people. Moreover, the traditional healers of the region use this knowledge in their day-to-day practices, which promotes ecological sustainability by protecting medicinal resources from commercial exploitation. Although some archives for medicinal knowledge of the tribal communities of the area have been established, there is a significant gap in exercising the practical importance of such traditional healthcare practices followed by the indigenous people.