Alien plants strangle local ones

E.M. Manoj, KALPETTA,  
The Hindu, September 7, 2015

The rampant growth of invasive alien plants is a concern for the wildlife managers in the district. “The spread of invasive plants, especially Senna spectabilis , is posing a major threat to the forest areas of the district, due to its quick growth and coppicing character,” says S. Mohanan Pillai, wildlife warden, WSS.

Eradicating the plant is a herculean task, says S. Heera Lal, assistant wildlife warden. The forest personnel had tried to eradicate the plant adjacent to the forest office at Muthanga as per the guidelines of the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, last year, but many a tree sprouted from its roots this year.

An adult tree grows up to 15 to 20 metres in a short period of time and every year distributes lakhs of seeds after the gregarious flowering. The thick foliage arrests the growth of other indigenous species of trees and grass, and causes food shortage for the wildlife population, especially herbivores, during summer. “This may worsen the man-animal conflict in the district,” said North Wayanad Forest Divisional officer Narendranath Veluri.

A survey conducted by the Wildlife Trust of India and the Forest Department last year revealed that the plant was a major presence in the Muthanga, Sulthan Bathery and Tholpetty range of forests under the sanctuary. “On a 3,000 sq km-stretch of the region, including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, North and South Wayanad forest divisions and the adjacent Muthumalai, Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves, wild growth of invasive plants has been reported,” Mr. Narendranath said. Plants such as Mikenia micarantha , Lantana, Eupatorium and Parthenium were also spreading in the region. The wild growth of Mikenia vine on dried bamboo pods would adversely affect the regeneration of bamboo seedlings in the region, he added.

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Native trees to get a fresh lease of life

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, August 5, 2015

Scientists at the Kerala Forest Research Institute at Peechi are gearing up for a programme aimed at protecting native trees from the threat posed by the proliferation of invasive plant species. Designed to perpetuate the memory of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the programme will focus on preserving big trees in public places by removing the invasive plants threatening their existence.

“Many such giant trees along the roadsides or in temple grounds can be found completely smothered by creepers or plants,” says KFRI Registrar T.K. Dhamodaran. “Though research on invasive species has picked up momentum, there has been little or no effort to conserve the trees threatened by these plants,” he said.

Mooted at a remembrance meeting held at KFRI last week, the programme is envisaged as a tribute to the late President who had proposed a national level mission to plant a billion trees. It involves manual removal of the invasive species and application of weedicide to prevent subsequent infestation.

The pilot phase will cover Thrissur and neighbouring districts. KFRI is planning to seek technical advice from the Fire and Rescue Services and the Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology under the Kerala Agricultural University to procure equipment like the skylift and safety harness needed for the project.

“It requires some amount of skill to remove the weeds from the tall trees and apply weedicide. Considering the paucity of skilled workers, we are thinking of setting up a labour bank. That way, the programme will also provide job opportunities at the local level,” said Dr.Dhamodaran, who is attached to the Wood Science and Technology division at KFRI.

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Eravikulam grasslands at risk from invasive plants

Giji K. Raman
KATTAPPANA,  
The Hindu, November 8, 2014 

The grasslands of the Eravikulam National Park are under threat from two invasive alien plants.

Eagle fern and goatweed, native to California and Brazil, respectively, have spread across the grasslands, damaging the park’s flora and posing a threat to herbivores, especially the Nilgiri tahr, say recent studies.

The studies are a prelude to documenting the main aggressive plants of the State.

Eagle fern ( Pteridium aquilinum ), also known as bracken, is a large fern that grows to over three ft and readily colonises areas, hampering the growth of grasses and other plants. On the underside of the leaves is sori, which produces spores that, like seed, travel in the wind and create new colonies.

Goatweed ( Ageratum conyzoides ), known as Murianpacha locally, is a flowering plant that grows up to 80 cm.

“Both the plants are unpalatable to herbivores and make colonies, are highly invasive, and prevent the growth of grasses and other plants,” says T.V. Sajeev, Head, Department of Entomology, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.

He says these plants have spread wide and could be hindering the growth of fodder for wild animals, especially the Nilgiri tahr.

Eagle fern is allelopathic, that is it lets out chemicals that keep other plants from growing. Because of the chemical effect, animals do not feed on its leaves.

The plant contains carcinogenic agents, and is a threat to human beings and animals.

K.G. Ashok Kumar, who led a team to document the two plants as part of the Save Biodiversity Campaign, told The Hindu that eagle fern was heavily distributed in the low-lying areas of the park and posed a bigger threat than expected.

The plant could replace natural vegetation, and once it spread was difficult to control.

He said the dry leaves of the eagle fern caught fire readily, and the ashes facilitated the growth of the plant.

Mr. Ashok Kumar said the two plants were dangerous to animals and human beings, and it would be a huge challenge for the authorities to control them.

Murianpacha, he said, was also found in parts of Kottayam, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad, and Wayanad districts, and could grow in different soil types.

 

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Marine biodiversity cells mooted for protection of sea turtles

Mini Muringatheri
Thrissur,  
The Hindu, October 21, 2014 

Experts have suggested the formation of national and State-level marine biodiversity cells for the conservation of sea turtles and marine fauna.

The objective of the biodiversity cell will be to coordinate between participatory departments to improve nesting habitats and check causes of mortality.

The national consultation workshop held at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) discussed an action plan for the conservation of endemic turtles in peninsular India and sea turtles. Protection of habitats and the nests of the species and the improvement of their quality are the prime concerns of the action plan.

The removal of Casuarina and sand dune management in identified nesting sites have also proposed.

Enhancing community participation in conservation through NGOs, regional co-operation programmes, training workshops and awareness campaigns were also discussed.

There was lack of awareness about the species, particularly with respect to its distribution, breeding biology and habitat requirements. The workshop recommended the inclusion of the importance of conservation in training curriculum for field staff in State forest training schools and forestry colleges.

Five of the seven species of sea turtles found worldwide are reported to occur in Indian coastal waters. They nest along the Indian coastline. Sea turtles are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, and the trade in turtle products is also prohibited.

The workshop was organised by the KFRI in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India and the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

 

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Mari’s conservation efforts get rewarded

K.A. Shaji
Palakkad,  
The Hindu, October 1, 2014 

Mari is a name now synonymous with forest conservation. The 46-year-old Muduga tribal’s contribution to preserving the rich biodiversity of the rainforests of Silent Valley in Palakkad district and to research on its flora and fauna by top scientists in the past three decades have been immense.

This guardian angel of forests started off as a 15-year-old daily wage worker with the Forest Department, working to preserve the sensitive Poochipara-Walakkad region of Silent Valley. His much-longed for desire to become a permanent employee of the department came true on Monday when Mari, who has hardly lower primary-level education, joined the service as a tribal watcher after passing a Public Service Commission (PSC) examination with first rank. His well-wishers in the department have also ensured his continued service for the Silent Valley.

Conservationists across the State remember him as the son of Letchiappan, on whom environmentalists had relied to record the uniqueness of the rainforests in the early 1980s when the movement to save Silent Valley got going.

“The studies the environmentalists did to buttress their argument to save the unique ecosystem of Silent Valley owed quite a lot to Letchiappan, who is unknown except among those who participated actively in the movement,” says N. Baburaj, a senior staff member of the Silent Valley Forest Range Office.

Mari soon followed in his father’s footsteps.

He accompanied scientists and researchers who reached Silent Valley to study its ecosystem.

“He knows more about Silent Valley than any of the forest officers. Every nook and corner of the forests is under his close vigil,” says P.S. Panikker, an environmentalist.

Experts from the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Centre, the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, and the Kerala Forest Research Centre have acknowledged Mari’s contribution to conservation.

It was only two years ago that he was presented with a conservation award instituted in memory of former Chief Conservator of Forests N. Madhavan Pillai. The award carried a purse of Rs.1 lakh.

Mari is at present a member of the Kerala State Wildlife Board headed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

 

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Periyar trout facing extinction

Giji K. Raman
KATTAPPANA,
The Hindu,September 17, 2014 

Brahmanakendai (Lepidopygopsis typus), a freshwater fish species in the family of cyprinidae, endemic to the Mullayar tributaries in the Western Ghats, is under threat of extinction due to habitat disturbance and introduction of hybrid varieties such as tilapia and common carp in the Thekkady lake. The species is also known as Periyar trout as it is endemic to the waters there.

The fish which is already on the red category list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) could be in more danger as nearly 80 per cent of its total population was endemic to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) where the African Catfish proves a threat to its existence, say experts.

According to Rajeev Raghavan, IUCN South Asian Co-chair, the fish species was once considered to be in the Schizothoracinae family as it was physically similar to the Snow trout found in high altitude streams. Recent genetic tests, however, grouped it in cyprinidae family.

The species is found in flowing waters and lay eggs in deep waters. It was once a main diet of the Mannan tribe. The name Brahmanakendai may be due to a thread, similar to a ‘poonool,’ in its body, says conservation researcher Anvar Ali.

He says that studies by the Kerala Forest Research Institute in 1999 and individual studies later pointed to high level of survival threat on the species in its natural habitat.

This is one of the 63 species endemic to the Western Ghats’ southern region. It was first reported by Divan Bahadur Sundararajan in the tributaries of the Periyar and the Mullayar and in the portions the streams join the Thekkady lake.

Mr. Ali says that there has been no scientific study on the impact of the hybrid varieties of fish introduced in the Thekkady lake on the endemic species.

Brahmanakendai faces extinction threat as there is high stress on the waters due to competition for food and existence threat raised by the African Catfish. The species has many specialities and unique features and considering the high threat on its survival, a plan of action to protect it in its natural habitat needs to be implemented, he says.

 

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