The government of Arunachal Pradesh inaugurated the Conservation and Propagation centre of Wild Orchids at Ziro.
Inauguration of the Conservation Centre
Agriculture and Horticulture Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Tage Taki, inaugurated the centre for the conservation of Wild Orchids at Lower Suban Siri district.
Orchids comprise one of the largest districts of flowering plants. There are around 24,500 varieties of Orchids in the world.
The launching of the centre was an initiative of the Hapoli Forest Division. The campus of the centre and the DFO office is the same.
The state minister praised the efforts of the Hapoli Forest Division and stated his delight considering the importance of the Department.
He referred to the centre as particularly important as it had to deal with conserving nature in its natural forms only without interfering in its wilderness.
Arunachal Pradesh is best known as the biodiversity hotspot. He mentioned that with the development in the state also comes challenges for the preservation of varied forms of flora and fauna. The state endures an abundance of natural wealth that needs to be properly conserved.
Objectives of the Centre
The primary aim of the conservation centre would be to guide the local population about the wealth of the orchids. The abundance of orchids surrounds them, but still, they are too unappreciated because the local population is unaware of their richness.
The centre will make the easily accessible display of the orchids to the local population. It would be much easier inaccessibility as compared to the trail at Pange.
The local awareness would also generate as the centre would make people buy the orchids for their offices and homes. With this government step, it became apparent that preserving biodiversity is the state’s first motto.
Key Details of the Centre
DFO Abhinav Kumar informed the media that around 50 Species of Orchids are in the newly launched Conservation and Preservation Centre. Moreover, these orchids are also available for sale to the public at a very nominal price.
The recently launched centre is the second such centre after the Orchids Research Centre at Tippi in West Kameng district. Arunachal Pradesh tops the list of Orchids Species in India. The state has in total 558 species of Orchids.
Conservation Trail of the Wild Orchids
The Conservation Trail of the Wild Orchids took place in 2018 at the Pange Camp under the Tale Wildlife sanctuary of Arunachal Pradesh. Hapoli Forest Division undertook this trail to preserve nature and its wilderness.
This trail viewed the relocation of the 182 species of the state’s endemic, vulnerable and rare orchids. Moreover, six other varieties of orchids are found in the trail, and they set new records in the country’s flora.
The rationale of the government behind setting up the Conservation and Propagation centre was to preserve the natural biodiversity of the state.
The current developmental plans have challenged the untamed wilderness, and that’s why it became imperative to conserve the natural biodiversity of the state.
Moreover, Arunachal Pradesh is one of the biodiversity hotspots of India, with a wide variety of orchids.
It was also essential to educate the local folks to understand the importance of the wilderness. State Government applauded this initiative of the Hapoli Forest Division.
