We assessed the changes in the status of flora and fauna in the Nanda Devi National Park (NP) over a period of two decades during the ‘Biodiversity Monitoring Expedition to Nanda Devi’ undertaken during June – July 2003. Since 1983, the Nanda Devi NP has been closed for all human activities and an assessment of the status of flora and fauna was made in 1993. Rapid assessment techniques were carried out to assess the status of flora and fauna along the main route to Nanda Devi and by intensive surveys in and around the main camping sites in Nanda Devi NP.

For mammals and birds, encounter rates based on direct and indirect evidences were obtained along the main route and in trails/ridge walks in intensively surveyed locations. Scan counts were made for blue sheep, silent drive count method was used for estimating musk deer density, and call counts were made for estimating koklass pheasant abundance. Thirteen mammals and over 50 birds were recorded during this survey. The encounter rates for different wildlife species are presented and discussed. The assessment of changes in the status of some wildlife species are presented by comparing information available from earlier surveys (1981-84 & 1993). There is an improvement in the status of many wildlife species over a period of 10 years of no human activity inside the NP. After 20 years, the status of many wildlife species has remained unchanged, and it has improved for a few species.

In general, it was found that the regeneration and total basal area of the forests has improved over the period of 10 years. It was observed that the regeneration of seedling and saplings on the edges of silver fir and birch forests was better when compared to the centre of the forest. Similarly, the nutrients in the soil in the centre of the forest were in high concentration and relatively higher when compared to similar forests in the other parts of Himalaya. Some prime localities of medicinal plant conservation have been identified. The coarse woody debris (snags) was common in silver fir forest in comparison to birch forest, however, the coarse woody debris (logs) were in high amount with all the decaying class in silver fir forest and in birch forest first two classes were present. In alpine meadows, it was observed that in unexposed sites Salix with Rhododendron spp. forms the community, while in exposed meadows it was mainly dominated by Carex community.

The benefits of complete protection and the threats to the conservation of Nanda Devi NP are presented and discussed.