Governance practices of landscapes in the tribal lands of Meghalaya in north-east India differ significantly for specific purposes. The tribal communities of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes of Meghalaya utilize lands through traditional governance systems in the vicinity of their settlements. The different agricultural landscape elements are closely associated with forest conservation practices. These lands are protected and managed by the tribal people based on institutional arrangements developed to benefit the community. This study, documents the traditional practices by the local community of Meghalaya, through a survey in four representative Khasi Villages. Their traditional knowledge has led to conservation of floral and faunal diversity at varying levels of intactness through different management regimes depending on resource use, land management for agriculture and spiritual values. The paper emphasizes aspects of the traditional forest management systems that contribute to food security, health care and the preservations of forest related knowledge.