HUBBALI: A special area has been earmarked in the Castlerock Wildlife Range of Kali Tiger Reserve to grow palatable grass species from the Indian Grasslands. At least ten varieties of seeds are being procured from the Grasslands of Kali Tiger Reserve and soon Forest Department will have its own seed bank.
The Grasslands Eco Systems are considered as the most neglected among forest patches in India as well as Karnataka. In Karnataka, large scale Grasslands spread from northern planes to thick forests of Western Ghats. In Kali Tiger Reserve vast patches of Grasslands are seen in Castlerock, Kumbarwada and Joida areas.
The Grasslands of Karnataka are home to unique grass and flowering species. There are at least 20 varieties of flowering species of grass that are reported in Karnataka. In Kali Tiger Reserve there are about 1,2000 ha of Grasslands are mapped in Castlerock division alone. Besides there is also direction from the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests to map and prepare the status report of Grasslands in the Protection Areas (PAs) across the country.
"There are numbers of patches of Grasslands available in Kali Tiger Reserve and efforts are on to conserve them," said Vasanth Reddy, Conservator of Forests. "The seed bank will have local grass species from the Grasslands. Grassland experts from Karnataka and Maharashtra will guide to maintain the seed bank. To begin with a small plot in Castlerock area has bee earmarked for the project," the officer said.
The wildlife experts note that the Grasslands in Western Ghats have always been favorite grazing grounds for large herbivores like Great Indian Guars. Grasslands acts as major carbon sinks.
"There have been wrong efforts in the past by the Forest Department to plant trees in Grasslands. Thankfully there are still large patches of Grasslands in PAs of Karnataka where sizable wildlife thrives. We have already lost several Grassland species and the Grassland dependent birds like Bustards are on the verge of extinction," said a wildlife expert.
MB Krishna, a biodiversity expert noted that many of Grasslands forests of Karnataka were converted into large campuses in the last few years. "Be it Grasslands in Hesarghatta or in Chitradurga district, many larges patches of Grasslands, also grazing grounds for local shepherds were taken over by various agencies. This is because the government considers Grasslands as barren lands. But we must not forget that there is a unique fauna that can thrive only in Grasslands," he noted.