Nagpur: With 44% of India’s forests, including 269 protected areas (PAs), under the grip of lantana, an invasive species which has degraded rich biodiversity and associated services, the MoEFCC has asked the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to form a multi-disciplinary group of experts from leading institutes to prepare a comprehensive roadmap on ecology.
As reported by TOI in August 2020, research by three Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists, including Ninad Mungi, Qamar Qureshi and YV Jhala, have found that over 300,000sqkm (44%) of the total Indian forests are affected by lantana.
The survey was conducted in 2009-2010, in the forests of Shivalik Hills in the north, Central India and the southern Western Ghats.
Taking a cue from the WII study, on March 11, 2021, the director-general forest (DGF) Sanjay Kumar has asked WII, Indian Plywood Industries Research & Training Institute (IPIRTI), Bengaluru, Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), and other bodies to decide on economics and management of lantana in Indian forests.
Talking to TOI, Mungi, the lead author of the study, welcomed the move. “It motivates researchers and conservation reporters, activists, etc who worked for highlighting this issue in a scientific manner.”
“It is important to not only remove an invasive species from the system but also to restore the system that is degraded by prolonged invasions. It is now essential to scientifically conduct management experiments in different forest systems in India on restoration. It is not yet done and would require scientific involvement and investment. I hope the proposal submitted by these institutions is considered,” said Mungi.
The MoEFCC has said that the lantana was brought to India 200 years ago and these varieties have hybridized among themselves and have formed several complexes. In light of lantana’s introduction history that suggests excessive hybridization. This adaptive nature can increase the area under its invasion and pose an ecological conundrum of managing an evolving neophyte.
MoEFCC says though eradicating lantana is being practiced in many PAs, these efforts have been meagre compared to their large-scale invasion. There have been small experiments to make furniture, charcoal, fencing material, etc but none of them have been scaled up to the economic utility level till date.
“Given the prevalence of the species, the multi-disciplinary team of experts should focus on the economic utility and industrial usage of lantana and on minimizing negative environmental impacts both due to lantana or its removal,” said MoEFCC officials.
The environment ministry is ready for funding under the national CAMPA fund. However, as per the study, at rough estimates, its management is estimated to cost around Rs 14 lakh per sqkm in India.
GROUND REALITY
* Lantana an invasive species which degraded rich biodiversity and associated services
* Wildlife Institute of India scientists found over 300,000sqkm (44%) of total Indian forests affected by lantana
* Survey conducted in 2009-2010, in forests of Shivalik Hills in the north, Central India and southern Western Ghats
* WII, IPIRTI, Bengaluru, IIFM and other bodies asked to decide on economics and management of lantana
* Its management is estimated to cost around Rs 14 lakh per sqkm in India