JAMMU: The Biodiversity conservation awareness centric Tree Talk campaign launched eight years back on 19th December 2010 to coincide with UN Decade of Biodiversity 2011-2020 today celebrated its 8th Foundation day and organized 670 outdoor garden Tree Talk at CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Campus Jammu in which besides CSIR-IIIM scientists, the herbal experts, school students, conservationists, tree talk enthusiasts, Ayurvedic doctors and morning walkers have participated.
On the occasion while giving the detail of R&D activities on medicinal and aromatic plants carried out at CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma, Director disclosed that IIIM earlier known as Regional Research Laboratory has rich collection of plant taxa in the herbarium named after E K Janaki Ammal first PhD woman scientist from Kerala who worked in RRL. Dr. Ram also told that the Herbarium data at IIIM, Jammu is digitized and can be assessed online to know past history, ecology, morphology of plants and the Herbal garden of institute has rich repository of aromatic medicinal plants, some unique introductions include Boswellia serrata, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Saraca asoca, Nothapodytes nimmoniana, Millingtonia hortensis, species of Ocimums, Mentha, Origanum, Lavender, Glycyrhiza, Symphytum, Tinospora, Chaemecostus , Grewia , Cymbopogon etc. Under Aroma mission, work is in progress on several plants like Tagetus minuta , Lavandula , Monarda , Mentha piperata , Rosemarinus , Colebrookia , Pogostemon , Ocimum. IIIM has been designated nodal agency to work on therapeutic qualities of Cannabis sativa. On the occasion, Dr. Ram also appreciated the Tree Talk initiative which has made not only field Taxonomy popular among youngsters but has also revived forgotten forest cum traditional plant cuisine innovations in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Only Taxonomy centric Biodiversity awareness movement launched 8 years ago has made its impact across all nook & corners of the state. On completion of 8 years long journey, Dr. Ram, lauded the Biodiversity awareness cum conservation movement which brought in the participation of whole society. Dr Ram Vishwakarma also planted sapling of lesser known native Himalayan Cherry Prunus cerasoides locally called Pajja (Padmaka in Sanskrit) to mark the occasion.
The Tree Talk crusader & Director SFRI O P Sharma while extending gratitude to IIIM Director & dedicated team of scientists disclosed that rich library, herbal repository and Herbarium of IIIM has remained important learning centre for him, Taxonomy passion nurtured in the environs ignited spark in spearheading Tree Talk in the state since 19th December 2010. IIIM has hosted several Tree Talk sessions both at IIIM Jammu and Sanant Nagar Srinagar Campus. Under Biodiversity Act 2002 , the state has to constitute Biodiversity Management Committees with preparation of People's Biodiversity Register and this task cannot be completed without support of Taxonomy and Taxonomusts. Having expertise in the domain, the IIIM will remain technical centre of excellence for future documentation of traditional knowledge and propagation of rare, endangered and threatened taxa of plants.
The Plant experts who shared valuable inputs, made powerpoint presentations on tree diversity, sacred groves, Aroma mission, RET Taxa, Tree medicine, tree propagation, tree conservation included Prof Yashpal, Dr Y S Bedi, Dr Dheeraj Vyas, Dr Sumit Gairola, Dr Nagender Singh, Prof Romesh Atri, Majid Farooq and others. More than 400 students drawn from various schools including students of RRL High School participated in the green get-together, took round of IIIM E K Janaki Ammal Herbarium, Herbal garden repository and witnessed ceremonial tree planting. Plant saplings of Chinar, Bael, Harad, Baheda, Jamun, Dhamnan, Sahonjana, Kachnar, Semal, Toon, Reetha, Amaltas, Varuna, Amla, Kadamb, Tinbru, Pajja, Neem, Laksmi taru, Siris, Parijat, Sukh chain arranged by SFRI were distributed among NGO's, School teachers, IIIM scientists and members of civil society. Certificates of participation were distributed to Tree Talk enthusiasts and Environmentalists to acknowledge their notable achievements and contribution in extending green efforts in the state.