The ‘Kannimar Shola’ area is a unique wet evergreen forest
type in the eastern ghats with medicinal plants diversity, and other rare and
endangered plant species.
Rich in natural vegetation and comprising a large number of
endemic, endangered and vulnerable plant species, the vast patch of ‘Kannimar
Shola’ in the scenic Pachamalai hills has been identified as a zone of
significant floral diversity by the State forest department.
The department has proposed to accord a special status to
the nearly 200-hectare ‘Kannimaar Shola’ area and designate it as a Medicinal
Plant Conservation Area (MPCA) for in situ conservation of medicinal plant
species and other plant species in natural habitats by involving the local
community in the hills.
The ‘Kannimar Shola’ area is a unique wet evergreen forest
type in the eastern ghats with medicinal plants diversity, and other rare and
endangered plant species. The thick vegetation acts a central habitat for many birds
and different species of butterflies.
Having identified the vast patch as a biodiversity hot spot
and as an MPCA, the department will soon forward a detailed project to the
National Medicinal Plants Board, a statutory body, seeking funds for in situ
conservation of natural vegetation most of which were being used by the tribals
for making traditional medicines.
The conservation strategy would be devised with active
involvement of the local community by constituting joint forest management
committees and protect the area from biotic factors of degradation such as
illicit felling of trees, grazing, fire and destructive methods of collection
of medicinal plants, says District Forest Officer I. Anwardeen.
The department has also proposed to carry out a floristic
survey of the area to determine the species composition and identify rare,
endangered and threatened listed plant species besides monitoring their
regeneration status. Complete documentation of the species is also proposed to
be done once the funds are sanctioned.
There are 11 MPCAs in different places in Tamil Nadu
including in Kodaikanal, Kolli hills in Salem, Top Slip near Pollachi,
Alagarkoil in Dindigul, Pechiparai in Kanyakumari, and Thenmalai in Tiruppatur.
Mr. Anwardeen said MPCAs are reserve forest sites of high biodiversity value
and known for their medicinal plant diversity.
Keywords: Pachamalai, Kannimaar
Shola, Medicinal
plants, plant
conservation
Texto: R. Rajaram
Data: 15.10.2012
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