On the Trail of Oak Trees in Northwest India

Josef Soucek

Published May 2020 in International Oaks No. 31: 161–170

Introduction

2019 marked the 12th expedition in the long-term Plaček Quercetum project, this time focusing on the evergreen oaks in Northwest India, roughly in the area that extends from the southern border of Kashmir to its border with Nepal, covering the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. These two states are constituted primarily of high mountains and steep valleys, cut through by fast-flowing rivers. Human habitation often reaches areas over 2,500 m.a.s.l. There are five species of evergreen oak widely spread throughout this area. All of them can be found in other Asian countries, but it is only here that the five grow together.