Rising role of Botanical Gardens
Message
This Newsletter is being brought out on the International Day for Biodiversity: this year’s Call to Action for the International Day for Biodiversity has been made around the slogan “Solutions are in Nature”.
It is to find “solutions from nature” that MSSRF set up a Botanical Garden in Wayanad in 2010. Wayanad is unique in being part of a global biodiversity hotspot, the Western Ghats, but with very high population density. The garden has three goals: conservation, recreation, and research. The third goal involves the conduct of scientific research, in the lab and the field, on biodiversity, nutrition, and climate change. In terms of collection and conservation, we propose to initially focus on Rare, Endemic and Threatened tree species, and wild foods.
By means of a Newsletter, we want to reach out to all the critical stakeholders with information and knowledge on various aspects of biodiversity of the Western Ghats region. This issue brings you nine stories. It also draws your attention to action steps for sustainable use of biodiversity.
I take this opportunity to request you to support us in implementing these actions and to be a part of the Community Botanical Garden Initiative.
Madhura Swaminathan
Chairperson, MSSRF