Abdul Majeed Wani, a seasoned farmer from Shaar-i-Shalli village in Pampore town in South Kashmir, knows the art of preserving saffron corms (saffron bulbs). He is saving them for his…
As the first rays of the spring sun touch the tall chir pine trees (Pinus roxburgii) in the dense forests of Sunderbani in Jammu, residents living near the jungle, also…
Once firm in their base camps on the lower reaches of the mountains, alpine treelines in the Himalayas and Hengduan regions are now in a slow-motion race towards the mountaintops…
During a field visit in the Kumaon region of the Central Himalayas, a team of researchers was surprised to find clusters of white flowers growing on dead tree trunks and…
The Dachigam National Park in Kashmir, surrounded by the lush Zabarwan mountains, stands out with its unique and diverse landscape. The protected area is an important conservation reserve serving as…
A new study has confirmed the presence of microplastic contaminants in Jhelum river, locally known as Vyeth, in Jammu and Kashmir. The study suggests that improper municipal solid waste (MSW)…
A recent study has revealed that most gymnosperm species that thrive in cold, high-elevation areas in northwestern Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir may be at higher risk of losing their…
In September 2011, a team of researchers from the Institute of Mountain Environment (IME), University of Jammu, found a pair of jackals dead on the Jammu-Poonch national highway. “Sadly, the…
Perfectly camouflaged against the boulder-strewn streams in its high-altitude habitat, the ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) has fascinated many nature enthusiasts and bird experts for centuries. It is known as the ‘wonder…
The dazzling yellow bloom of the gul toor, has been a sight to soothe sore eyes in Kashmir. After a protracted winter where this colour is largely missing, this yellow…
The glaciers in the western Himalayas, source of water for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, have been melting at a significant rate due to the growing amount of black carbon aerosol…
Several women scientists from Kashmir are at the forefront of research to tackle changing climatic patterns that threaten local ecologies, livelihoods and networks that sustain them. Scientists Nasheeman Ashraf, Ulfat…
Hirra Azmat is a Kashmir based journalist who writes extensively on health, environment and gender based issues. A fellow with Thomson Reuters Foundation, she has written for numerous publications like The Wire, 101 reporters of India, Tehelka Magazine, First Post, IANS, Dhainik Bhaskar, The Kashmir Monitor and several local magazines. She is also interested in travel writing, profile writing, personal essays and anything that provokes, inspires and transforms.
You can find her at @AzmatHirra on Twitter, and @hirraazmat on Instagram.
