BENGALURU: Horticulture department officials are setting out to convert six acres of wasteland into mini Western Ghats, with 132 species of plants from the Sahyadri region in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens.
Biodiversity expert Keshav Murthy said over 190 species of saplings were sourced from the Sahyadri region two years ago, of which 132 survived, including a few fruit plants. Over 400 species from the Western Ghats -- Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru and Kodagu districts -- were planted in Lalbagh.
Horticulture Minister SS Mallikarjun symbolically planted a sapling on Tuesday at Lalbagh Rock Garden near Siddapura, along with noted environmentalist Dr Yellappa Reddy, and former adviser on educational reforms, Karnataka government, MR Doreswamy.
In the past two years, horticulture department staffers have been working on soil fertility, and on Tuesday, with help from student volunteers, 400 saplings from the Sahayadri hills were planted. “In the coming days, small ponds will also be created for aquatic life and groundwater table improvement which will result in tree growth,” Keshav Murthy, who has been helping Lalbagh authorities in this regard, said.
In the coming days, shrubs, herbs and climbers from the Western Ghats will be added, horticulture officials said.