"Vanamahotsava" An annual 'rare saplings' planting day

Off late there are many reasons to cheer for western ghat lovers. First it was very extensive report by eminent scientist Prof.Madav Gadgil on ghat conservation and other one is getting designated for UNESCO Heritage list. Both have serious implication on ghats conservation. With these initiative, no one can dream of mining anymore in ghats. There was a talk of under ground mining in ghats!. Western ghat is one among worlds top 8 bio diversity hotspots. As in forests all over world, ghats too faces many problems with mans greed increasing by the day. Biggest causality of the ghats destruction is that many species of flora and fauna is getting endangered. Biggest challenge is to conserve these endangered flora and fauna of the ghat.
Our organization "The Sharavathi Nature Conservation Trust(R)" was setup in year 2004 to attempt few conservation activities. One of the main aim of our organization is to save the endangered and rare flora. We have been working with forest department for this very purpose. As part of this every year, we collect rare plants with active participation from locals and plant them in safe areas.
This year we collected about 500 saplings of various rare plants and planted them in the safe areas. This year we invited students of BNMIT college of engineering for the event. This college has been in forefront to create awareness about green issues among students. Thanks to prof. Sheshprasad and the organization secretory Mr.Narayana Mane sir. They have setup a green club in the college , which has been doing this great service.
The event was organized on 8th of July 2012 and was attended by local leaders, Range forest officer and Chief engineer of KPCL coming over and sharing various local issues related to conservation. The dignitaries requested locals to save many rare plants and requested them to actively participate in saving the precious forest in the ghat. After the debate session, it was time for planting saplings. Dignitaries symbolically planted a sapling and then students took over the planting job.
It was very great occasion this time as students participated actively and with great enthusiasm.We have resolved to continue this work every year. There is a plan to setup separate plantation where all these rare plants will be saved in methodically. For this forest department have to help us. But as we know govt departments dont consider these nobel work as priority !.