Grasslands are a major biome in the world covering almost one-third of the earth’s land surface. In addition to having rich biodiversity, natural and managed grasslands provide provisioning, supporting, regulating, and cultural services to communities worldwide. A distinct subtype of monsoonal grasslands is seen on the lateriticplateaus, locally known as Sadas, in Maharashtra. Vegetation types and ecology of Sada have been documentedin detail but not their ecosystem services. The present study was undertaken to document fodder as an important ecosystem service of Sada. Rajapur tehsil of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra was chosen for this study as it has large and continuous Sadas which are widely used by local communities for sustenance.

Interviews and participatory transect walks with Knowledgeable Individuals helped document 20 indigenousfodder species of the Sada landscape. Traditional knowledge regarding fodder species, diverse uses of grasses, and past and present practices for managing Sada grasslands were documented. It was seen that there is a reduction in the demand for Sada grasses due to multiple reasons. This leads to large patches of Sada remaining unharvested, posing a fire hazard. Problems associated with current management practices are listed and suggestions are provided for future management based on traditional practices.