India's Highest Harbal Park inaugurated in Uttarakhand

India’s highest altitude herbal park has been inaugurated at Mana village in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The herbal park is situated at a height of 11,000 feet was and is close to the Indo-China border. Mana is the last Indian village in Chamoli bordering China and is adjacent to Badrinath temple. The herbal park has around 40 species found in high altitude alpine areas in the Himalayan region.

Aim of the high altitude park

This high-altitude herbal park was inaugurated with the aim of conserving various medicinally and culturally important alpine species and to conduct research on propagation and habitat ecology of these species.

Key points about the park

1) The herbal park near the Indo-China border has around 40 species that are found in high-altitude alpine areas in the Himalayan region.

2) As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the State biodiversity Board, many of the species in the Herbal Park are endangered and threatened. It includes many significant medicinal herbs also.

3) The park has been developed on an area of three acres given by Mana Van Panchayat by the Research Wing of Uttarakhand Forest Department.

4) It has been developed in three years under the central government’s Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme.

Sections of the park

First section– It comprises of species associated with Badrinath (lord Vishnu) including Badri Tulsi, Badri Tree, Badri Ber, and sacred tree of Bhojpatra.

Second section– It is dedicated to Ashtavarga species. This species is a group of eight herbs that are found in the Himalayan region.

Third section– It comprises of Saussurea species and includes Brahmakamal which is the state flower of Uttarakhand.

Fourth section– It comprises of assorted alpine species such as Ateesh, Meethavish, Choru and Vankakdi.