Fire is a natural component of many ecosystems, which include plants and animals that interact with one another and with their physical environment. There is much yet to be learned about how fire affects ecosystems. Each fire and each ecosystem has unique properties. Fire alters the physical and chemical properties and the microbial population of the soil. Though there are number of studies available concerning to fire in natural forests and grasslands, but studies related to fire in restored ecosystems particularly in mined restored areas are very few. Sequential development in vegetation communities, amelioration of site quality with reference to soil fertility and microbial activities are integral processes followed in restored ecosystem and how these processes are deviated from its natural way in an event of fire is a matter of great interest to the ecologists. Moreover, there have been very few studies on soil microbial biomass so far in context to mined areas especially in India so far. Present work is an attempt made by the authors in this perspective.

Landslides are one of the catastrophic hazards that affect at least 15% land area of India exceeding 0.49 million km2. The Himalayan Mountains has been witnessing the furry of nature for a long time. Landslides are among one of the major and widely spread natural disasters that strike life and property almost perennially year after year. Large scale deforestation in recent decades has also disturbed the sensitive areas in the Himalayas. Concentration of human settlements and consequent logging, felling, grazing and occasional fires have reduced the forest area to a great extent The replacement of climax oak by pioneer pine has become a common and ever increasing phenomenon in Himalaya. The role of native vegetation is quite significant in prevention of landslides as well as for stabilizing the landslide. The present book embodies the bioengeinneing application and its role in mitigating and managing the landslide hazardous. The book has mainly emphasized on the bioengineering measures taken for recovery of catastrophic Varunavat Landslide, which took place on September 24th, 2003 in the Northern part of India and caused a massive socio-economic and ecological devastation.