Uttarakhand Forest department conserve 2447 plant species
Uttarakhand Forest department conserve 2447 plant species
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, May 22
Uttarakhand forest department has conserved a total of 2447 plant species through in-situ and ex-situ methods across all 7 ranges of Uttarakhand state.This information has been given in the 5th annual report of research wing of Uttarakhand forest department based at Haldwani on the occasion of International Day of Bio-diversity,today.
“Our preservation programme is biggest in Uttarakhand and one of the largest in India and the world,” claimed Sanjeev Chaturvedi, head of the research wing and Chief Conservator of Forests in Uttarakhand.”Our preservation plan, that began in the year 2020, covers all groups of plant species in Uttarakhand,” said Chaturvedi.
” The plants species preserved in research wing of the department includes,493 trees, 184 herbs,168 shrubs, 46 bambo species, 12 cane and 86 wild species, 107 types of grass, 191 ferns, 114 orchids, 88 palms, 20 cycads 285 cacti and succulents 50 aquatic, 28 insectivorous, 85 lichens, 107 bryophytes, 14 algae and 15 air plants,” said Chaturvedi.
Out of these species under preservation, 59 species are endemic to Uttarakhand region. According to 5th annual report of forest research wing, initially the wing took task of preserving 1145 plants species initially when the wing was started in the year 2020.”The number of preserved plants has now doubled in the last four years,” said the head of the wing.
“Out of these plant species under preservation, 109 are listed under threat category, 12 endangered and 16 vulnerable category in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list,” said Chaturvedi.
“We have also published four books by our research wing, including Lichens of Munsiyari, lichen garden that includes 100 lichen species, grasses of grass conservation unit at Ranikhet, Spices of spice garden at Ranikhet and Medicinal plants of public health garden,Lalkuwan near Haldwani, that preserves over 250 species of herbs,” said Chaturvedi.
