Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India] May 23 (ANI): In recognition of the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Research Wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department has published its sixth annual report. This report reflects significant advancements and findings related to biodiversity within the region.

The report highlights the successful conservation of 2228 plant species through in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures across seven different ranges of the Research Wing.

This report was first released in 2020, when the number of conserved plant species was 1145. In five years, the number of plant species conserved by the Research wing has doubled.

Out of the total species conserved, 120 are currently listed under threatened/endangered categories, of which 75 are on the IUCN Red List.

Some of these threatened/endangered species are- White Himalayan Lilly (Lilium polyphyllum), Trayman (Gentiana kurroo), Atees (Aconitum heterophyllum), Seeta ashok (Saraca asoca), Dolu (Rheum webbianum), Patwa (Meizotropis pellita), Himalyan Golden spike (Eremostachys superba) and Tree fern (Cyathea spinulosa).

Chief Conservator of Forest (Research) Sanjiv Chaturvedi said, 'This exercise was initiated in 2020 to create awareness about conservation of plant species, which are facing serious existential threats from climate change as well as anthropogenic activities like mining and unplanned construction activities.

However, conservation of plant species attracts less popular attention than that of faunal species like Tigers and Elephants because of the greater glamour quotient associated with these wildlife species. This is despite the fact that plants play a much important ecological role by way of carbon sequestration and also provide raw material for a number of important medicines. '

Uttarakhand Forest Department is the only forest department in the country that undertakes this exercise and has perhaps the most extensive inventory of various plant species across all the state forest departments.

He further said, 'The Idea behind the release of this report was to counter the concept of 'Plant Blindness'. The term coined in 1998 by Elisabeth Schussler and James Wandersee, a pair of US botanists and biology educators, indicates an appreciation of plants and a limited interest in plant conservation. Plant conservation matters for environmental health and human health, in the long run'.

Out of these 2228 plant species, there are 528 tree species, 187 herbs, 175 shrubs, 46 bamboo, 88 wild climbers, 12 species of cane, 107 grasses, 192 ferns, 115 orchids, 88 palm, 31 cycads, 290 cacti & succulents, 50 aquatic plants, 29 insectivorous plants, 86 lichens, 118 bryophytes, 14 species of algae and 15 species of air plants.

In the conserved list, 60 species are endemic to Uttarakhand/Indian Himalayan Region. Endemic species are the species or taxonomic group which is within a restricted geographic area, naturally found only in that particular region. (ANI)