**11. Conclusion and future perspective**

The plants play a significant role in food and nutritional security at the household level. The local people depend greatly on traditions and values that are rooted in nature. Farmers gave more importance to those species which provides them a multitude of benefits such as medicinal and harvested as edible food. Though, there is rising pressure on these species, which advocates that there is an urgent need for management and conservation, which requires proper research and policy support. It is essential to think about how such wild and non-cultivated edible plant species used for food, medicine, and other purposes can contribute to future food security. This requires a proper understanding of how to deal with the cultural changes affecting the use of species diversity and how to ensure sustainable availability. Integrated research and development approaches are immediately required to tackle the issue. To conclude, what scientists, conservationists, and policymakers describe biodiversity is interpreted and used in different ways all of which are potentially relevant and legitimate. Conservation of biodiversity will continue to fail to meet targets if scientists and practitioners are not efficiently able to partner with stakeholders and Indigenous landowners to form novel and dynamic institutions. Local peoples are the central point of any conservation program; attempts should be made to maintain balance among scientists, conservationists, policymakers, and people's livelihoods. Participations of local communities in the preparations and execution of conservation policies and management plans could facilitate to attain the biodiversity conservation objectives. Creation of understanding and educational programs on conservation and permissible utilization of plant genetic resources, and intensification coordination with the help of various governmental departments, NGOs, and local institutions is immediately required.

*Biodiversity Conservation of Western Himalayas: A Pluralistic Approach DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107075*
