Millions of rural people depend upon forests extensively for fuel, fodder, grazing, and numerous subsistence necessities, especially in the mountainous region. This study was conducted at three altitudinal zones in the Dudhatoli region (Garhwal Himalaya) to ascertain the amount of biomass extraction from forests in terms of the socio-economic attributes of local communities. In the study, it was found that the sampled village has an average of 1346.71 cattle that consume fodder quantity of 47.29 ± 31.69 kg (i.e. at higher altitude), 37.38 ± 28.82 kg (i.e. middle altitude), and 27.54 ± 24.71 kg (i.e. lower altitude) per day. Every household has an average of 6.91 ± 2.81 members, with a fuelwood consumption of an average of 2.65–2.80 kg/person/day (i.e. with increasing altitude) and 4.16 ± 3.22–2.4 ± 0.54 kg/person/day (i.e. with increasing family size). The study results provide an association of socio-economic status with different patterns of regulatory ecosystem services related to forest resources. The Dudhatoli region’s ecosystem provisioning services require effective management using ecosystem-based approaches. These include local involvement, agroforestry, alternative energy sources, and government initiatives. Implementing these strategies can improve livelihoods and address climate change mitigation.