Rudrasagar lake, a Ramsar site situated in Northeastern part of India offers a variety of ecosystem services. The contribution of Rudrasagar lake to the society has not been estimated so far. The preliminary study aims to provide an economic valuation (provisional and cultural services) of Rudrasagar lake. Official records of revenue collected by the Tourism Department of Tripura and a socio-economic survey were the sources of information used in the economic valuation of the lake. The main provisional services provided by the lake are food (aquatic plants and fishes), fuel wood and timber whereas, the cultural services provided were boat raiding and tourism due to its historical importance. The provisional and cultural services provided by the Rudrasagar lake are 40810 US$ and 33929 US$ per year respectively during the period of 2010-2015. The main threats to the wetland identified are increasing silt loads due to deforestation, expansion of agricultural land and land conversion due to population pressure. To alleviate the anthropogenic stress on the lake, better monitoring, planning and management are essential. By proper conservation and management it will be possible to enjoy the provisional and cultural services of the lake in a sustainable way.
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