The hills of Kumaon are endowed with wide variety of flora and fauna. Fast paced and multi-faceted development and ever increasing population have created tremendous pressure on land to provide basic requirement essential for survival. Degradation of land and water resources is a serious problem in this region. To meet these requirements, the limited natural resources are being over-exploited resulting in widespread eco-system degradation. The Kumaon region is highly susceptible to acute soil erosion problems due to its undulating topography and high intensity rainfall.

The Centre will work on measures for formulation of requisite combination of various land uses for optimum utilization of water; selection of indigenous fruit trees, vegetable trees, fodder and fuel trees with suitable root system desirable for binding the soil; rehabilitation of barren lands with horticultural crops; selection of locally available fodder trees; reforestation of the degraded lands; water harvesting and development of water area by utilizing run off water have to be perfected; and development of enhanced technologies for watershed management to be used in mini watershed.