Study traces how the British ruined Western Ghats, one of India’s most unique ecosystems

[UngulateNerd92]

A biodiversity hotspot, Western Ghats continue to be done in by the British belief that its grasslands were wastelands.

Bengaluru: Over seven decades since Independence, the fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats continues to suffer at the hands of an abusive British practice meant to tap the biodiversity hotspot for cold, hard cash.

In complete ignorance of the local ecology, India’s erstwhile colonisers planted vast tracts of grasslands with trees meant to yield timber, putting over 150 local flora and fauna species in a precarious position today.

Researchers from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, the University of Leeds, UK, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, have conducted a study that seeks to trace the history of the misinformed decisions that led to large-scale damage of the local ecosystem. It was recently published in the journal Biological Conservation.

The Western Ghats are a unique ecosystem where tropical grasslands are interspersed with tropical forests, stretching out as far as the eye can see.

https://theprint-in.cdn.ampproject....-of-indias-most-unique-ecosystems/147041/?amp

 

[UngulateNerd92]

I shared this article with a friend of mine and he had this to say;

"The question is what do we do now? Restore the ecosystem! I imagine that would be especially challenging given that India has over a billion people (and rising) most with aspirations to exploit nature to improve their lives and material wealth."

He has valid points... Habitat restoration would be the best solution, and might I add a pivitol one!