Himachal's first biodiversity park to conserve endangered herbs

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 13

The state’s first biodiversity park, established at a cost of Rs 1 crore at Bhulah in the Janjehli valley of Mandi district, will prove to be a boon for research as well as for conservation of endangered Himalayan herbs.

The park, the foundation stone for which was laid about a year ago, will also be a special attraction for tourists from across the globe.

The park, expected to be thrown open in a few months, has been created under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) project of the HP Forest Department. This is the first park in the state that will focus on conservation of endangered herbs.

It has been designed to link tourism activities and provide new opportunities to researchers to study various medicinal herbs found in the Himalayas that are on the verge of extinction, a spokesperson for the state government said here today.

A nursery to conserve endangered herbs has been set up for display in the park. In this nursery, Trillidium Govanianum (Nagchhatri), Dhoop, Picrorhiza kurroa (Kadu), Sarpagandha, Swerlia Chiryita (Chirayita), Barbari, Angelica glauca (Chaura), Coleus gromalicus (Pathanbel), Pathar chata, Selinum vaginatum (Bhutkesi), Nyar, Valeriana Wallichi (Mushkwala), Thymus Linearis (Van Ajwain), Kuth, Acorus Calamus (Barre), Asparagus (Sansarpali), Potentilla Nepalensis (Dori Ghass), Ratan Jot, Aconitum heterophyllum (Atish Patish), Padophyllumhexandrum (Van Kakdi), Dioscorea delloidea (Shingli Mingli), Jangli Lahsun and Adiantum lunulatum (Dungtuli) will be displayed.

Besides, a fenced park has been built on five hectares and has several basic amenities. Amphitheaters have also been built for the convenience of researchers and tourists visiting the nursery. Apart from this, two log huts, water harvesting structure, internal tank, 5 KW power generation project, bird nest, foot-bridge and sales centre have been set up.

Two tree-huts have also been prepared in the park for tourists, from where they can enjoy a picturesque view of the park. Nature trails of about two km, 25-feet-high and 160-meter-long tree-walk and seven foot bridges are the other attractions.

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