| Sanction Date: | 21-12-2018 | ||||
| Project Category | SG | ||||
| Year | 2018-2019 | ||||
| Project Duration | 3 Years + 9 Months project extension | ||||
| BTA : | Biodiversity Conservation & Management | ||||
| Project Site/ State/ Districts/ Villages Covered: |
Himachal Pradesh |
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| Organization/ Implementation Agency: |
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences Bajhol, P.O. Sultanpur, Solan |
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| Project Partners: | S.No. | Name | Roles & Responsibilities | ||
1. |
Shoolini University, Bajhol, PO Sultanpur, Solan - 173229, India | ? Collection of invertebrates and soil fauna associated with Taxus. ? Identification of fauna and analysis of soil nutrients. ? Studying the role of seed dispersers and seed predators. ? Studying the extent of herbivory and the associated animals. ? Statistical analysis of data. ? Guiding a project fellow for collection, identification, soil analysis, statistical analysis and local community participation and outreach activities. |
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2. |
G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development Mohal, Kullu - 175 126, Himachal Pradesh, India |
? Mapping the distribution of Taxus in Kullu district. ? Identification of plants associated with Taxus. ? Development and standardization of mass multiplication methods for cultivating Taxus. ? Establishing plantlets of seedlings involving forest department and local people. ? Guiding a project fellow for mass multiplication of seedlings and local community participation and outreach activities. |
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3. |
Shoolini university of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh |
? Isolation and identification of mycorrhizae associated with Taxus. ? Phytochemistry of mass multiplied saplings and its comparison to naturally propagated individuals. ? Outreach activities. |
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| Lead Proponent: | Dr. Rachna Verma/ Dr. Mamta Sharma/Dr. Shankharoop Ghoshal School of Biological and Environmental Sciences Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences Bajhol, P.O. Sultanpur, Solan (HP) |
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| Project Brief Description: | The west Himalayan yew (Taxus contorta Griff.) has suffered a severe range wide population decline of up to 90% in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), mainly because of overexploitation for its medicinal properties, especially for the commercial extraction of the anti-cancer drug Taxol (Thomas & Farjon, 2011; Aslam, 2016). The last population assessment of Taxus in Himachal Pradesh was conducted in 2008 in Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary (Pant & Samant, 2008) and the current extent and possible locations of this species is not known. Hence there is a need to assess and map the current distribution using species niche modeling technique. Pant & Samant (2008) reported a very poor situation of regeneration of this species and have predicted the extirpation of this species from the sanctuary. Hence, there is an urgent requirement of understanding the causes of decline in regeneration and to try to decipher the factors that have resulted in the successful regeneration, in the few habitats where Taxus has been able to establish itself. Hence this project would focus on trying to establish those conditions, be it nurse shrubs, shrubs or trees to which the birds responsible for the dispersal of Taxus seeds are attracted, or inoculating the soil with mycorrhizae that help in the early establishment of the seedlings, litter thickness that provides the appropriate temperature, soil fauna that aid in creation of the ideal soil environment and help to prevent seed predation, and the soil compaction, pH level, temperature and litter C:N ratio that ultimately help to establish Taxus seedlings in the habitat for in situ conservation. At the same time it is important to reduce the dependency of the indigenous people on the forest individuals of Taxus by helping them in establishing Taxus plantlets in their gardens and community lands. This is where we need to develop and standardize mass multiplication protocols and plantlet establishment involving the forest department and the local people for successful planting for ex situ conservation of this endangered medicinal tree. Such community monitored plantations and trees planted in forests would generate livelihood and income for the local people, creating an incentive for conserving the species for extraction of plant parts for medicinal uses, and this would develop into a self-sustaining conservation strategy. Without undertaking these steps it would be impossible to save this species from extinction from wild in the IHR and an important source of anti-cancer medicines would be lost forever. | ||||
| Beneficiaries/ Stakeholders: | All local people who depend on the forest, for their livelihood and survival. It also includes villagers who will be able to grow the plant, given an opportunity, and then harvest it in a sustainable way. |
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| Activity Chart | Click Here | ||||
| Total Grants (in Rs.) | Rs. 47,00,000.00 (Rupees: Forty Seven Lakh Only) | |||
| Project Objectives | Quantifiable Deliverables | Monitoring Indicators |
| Assessment and mapping of populations of Taxus in Shimla and Kullu district. | Develop the Distribution map for Taxus contorta | Number of distribution map developed (Nos.) |
| Investigation of the physicochemical and biotic factors associated with regeneration of Taxus. | Generation of knowledge about different ecological factors affecting natural regeneration of Taxus. | Mass propagation of selected species (Nos.) |
| Development and standardization of mass propagation techniques for mass multiplication of Taxus contorta (production of >100000 propagules) | Conservation Model developed (Nos.) | |
| Development and standardization of protocols for mass multiplication of Taxus and comparison of its phytochemistry relative to natural individuals. | Number of nurseries strengthened (No/ Area) | |
| Establishment of plantlets of Taxus involving the forest department and the local communities. | New conservation Model for plantation drives through strengthening local nurseries and forest department, and community monitored plantations | The number of Beneficiaries (Nos.) |
| A manual and guidelines for conservation and sustainable use of target species | No. of Reports/Research articles/Policy documents/Manual prepared and published (Nos.) | |
| Creating awareness among farmers in 10 villages |
| S.No. | Name (Sanctioned) | Qualification | Designation (Sanctioned) | Salary (Sanctioned) |
| 1. | 01 JPF | @ Rs.16,000/- |
| S.No. | Name of Equipment (Sanctioned) | Use of Equipment/ Details | Cost (in INR) |
| 1. | Stereomicroscope with camera and computer, DSLR camera with macro and tele lens, one Desktop computer (for GIS analysis), Spherical densiometer, soil compaction meter, PAR meter, I buttons+ software + adaptor, soil water potential meter, GPS- Etrex30, Binocular, camera traps, Printer and scanner. | 8,60,000/- |
