Summary:
We spoke with people in the hills who have vast knowledge of these rare plant species. A decision regarding this was taken by the forest department a few days ago. “The forest department will plant these species on a yearly basis and separate funds would be allotted to ensure the sustainability of the project,” an official said. They have a deep connection with these herbs and we shall use the expertise of these communities in order to conserve our rich biodiversity. Dehradun: In a move aimed at conserving various medicinal and aromatic plants that are indigenous to the Himalayas, the forest department has decided to dedicate 10% of its plantation solely to 34 identified plant species that have been classified as ‘rare, endangered and threatened.’ These include herbs such as shankh pushpi (convolvulus alsinoides), jatamaasi (nardostachys jatamansi), prishthaparni (uraria picta), sarpgandha (rauwolfia serpentina) and giloy (tinospora cordifolia) among others..