Guwahati: The forest department has launched a grassland nursery initiative for the first time at Manas National Park to revive the Unesco World Heritage site’s rapidly shrinking grasslands.Park officials said the nursery, started in Oct last year in the park’s Bansbari range, is cultivating around 15–20 grass species to support restoration efforts.Yuvraj Singh Digra said species such as Setaria italica, Eulalia, Kangaroo grass, Chrysopogon polyphyllus, and Imperata cylindrica are being grown on one hectare across 192 beds. “Grasslands are turning into woodlands in the park, and through this nursery we are producing sufficient seeds to scatter in the areas we want to restore. We have planted enough seeds and rhizomes of these species, and once they grow, we will collect the seeds again so that the restoration cycle can continue,” Digra added.Pranjal Talukdar, Bansbari range officer, said the nursery will focus on native grass species and also help provide fodder for herbivores.The initiative follows concerns raised by authorities that Manas has lost an estimated 50-60% of its grasslands over last three decades.Jaydev Mandal, assistant professor at Madhab Chandra College in Barpeta and a researcher working on grassland conservation at Manas, said, “Climate change plays a major role in the spread of invasive species and the degradation of grasslands.”Mandal criticised the practice of prioritising tree cover over grassland preservation. “The forest department needs to practice grassland management. Through this, the ecosystem can be restored and native species can regenerate,” he added.
