Farmland biodiversity is greatly enhanced by the presence of trees. However, farmland trees are declining worldwide, including in North America, Central America, and parts of southern Europe. We show that tree decline and its likely consequences are particularly severe in Australia's temperate agricultural zone, which is a threatened ecoregion.

Fifteen years ago the hillside of Karsog Tehsil in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh was covered with pine mono cultures. The officials of the forest department preferred pine as it is not eaten by cattle, grows quickly after a fire, is hardy, requires minimum effort and had a good survival rate.

A few months before the festival of Lord Jagannath in Majhiakhand village in Nayagarh District of Orissa, the village women get together to knead a mixture of ant hill clay, cow dung and cow urine into egg shaped balls and seeds of siali are preserved within them.

Arunachal Pradesh has been identified as one of the "Biodiversity Hotspot" areas in the world. The tribes inhabiting the state recognize over 500 species of plants as having medicinal properties. The authors have conducted field trips in different areas of Arunachal Pradesh covering six western districts during March 2004 - October 2005.