VISAKHAPATNAM: In a first-of-its-kind, over 50 grass species were identified during a two-day workshop and survey on ‘Grasses Identification and Grassland Management’ at the Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) on Wednesday.
The survey drew attention to the world of grasses within NSTR. Over 50 unique grass species were recorded, including some rare ones during the course of this extensive workshop. Speaking to TNIE, Nandyala DFO Vineet Kumar, who headed the survey, shed light on the recent survey finding, stating, “The NSTR comprises two sanctuaries, namely the Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gundla Brahmeswaram Sanctuary. The latter remains largely unexplored with limited documented information about its avian, butterfly, grass species, etc. While some theoretical surveys have been conducted, expert-led land surveys of this nature have not been conducted so far.”
Grass expert and IFS officer Manoj Chandran from Uttarakhand provided training to the forest staff on identifying various grass species in the Gundla Brahmeswaram sanctuary of the Nallamalla forest. Approximately 70 to 80 forest officers from all four divisions of the tiger reserve, including Nandyala, Atmakur, Markapur, and Giddalur, actively participated in the workshop. Together, they successfully identified over 50 grass species, including some rare finds such as Oryza officinalis (wild rice), wild ragi and wild maize.
“Grasslands play a pivotal role in maintaining local bio-diversity and supporting food production. To enhance and safeguard these habitats, a comprehensive understanding is needed. Often, human activities disrupt the natural ecology. Forest officers with their on-ground experience can greatly contribute to our improved understanding and protection of these ecosystems. One of the key goals is to provide field staff with grass identification training. While external appearances may suggest similarity among grasses, the fact that we recorded over 50 distinct species in just two days underscores the remarkable diversity within this region,”Vineet stated.
Elaborating on how the survey and its findings will help, the DFO explained, “Animals can distinguish between various types of grass, and it is essential for us to do the same to determine which are suitable for consumption, their characteristics, resilience, and more. This understanding not only reveals the biodiversity of the region but also provides insights into how different grasses respond to forest fires. Some varieties of grass thrive after fires. Studying these grasses is crucial for better fire management during wildfire seasons.”The Nandyala forest division has initiated a digital herbarium known as ‘e-herbarium,’ which serves to securely record information for future.