Thanks for the response, Pankaj ji. I am too small to comment about this. But since i have attented ten CAMP workshops conducted in various states across India, i can tell you that the response of participants in each state is different. In most of the states like Kerala, KA, TN, HP, North-eastern states, etc. the participation was quite serious with the focus to prioritize taxa for conservation in respective states. Not everybody understand the IUCN criteria and categories (best available and followed at global level today) quickly. It needs interest in the subject, dedication, cooperation, willingness to share the information for a nobel cause etc. etc.
So far only one book published by FRLHT in this line, titled "Field guide to 100 Red Listed Medicinal Plants of conservation concern in southern India", in the year 2000. No other books published after that, on conservation aspect. So it is incorrect to say that Bhopal materials are published. They are just in report form. It is also not true what you mentioned about the data sheets. You very well know the procedure, the participants divided into groups and each group has experienced facilitator, active recorder and the informative participants. All the information were recorded by the members and if one is not knowing the botanical name or language, there will be always those experts who will translate and record properly. If someone don't know what is 'Pantropical' then he/she can not be a qualified botanist. For laymen, its not a problem at all, there are experts in the group and from FRLHT to explain and clarify and technical issues this regard. FRLHT staff never involved in maneuvering the information but only to facilitate the workshop and to provide technical support. If the information on Taxon Data Sheet is very good, it means that the team was highly knowledgeable on the plants under discussion with vast field experience, and serious about what they were doing. It also shows the participants were open enough to share the information to bring out an appropriate outcome. There will be always criticisms for good works. I am not surprised. But the sad thing is that sometimes even very knowledgeable experts do not understand the importance of the exercise and its rigourousness. It is not like a single author assigning threat status to plants by sitting in the computer within four walls. It is a serious science. The negative mindset about this has to be changed first, then only we can understand the process. When the process initiated by FRLHT in 1995, many had wrong opinion and opposition, but they all have now realized and changed their bad mindset after seeing the science of the process. Whatever expressed above are my personal views and opinion only and do not reflect the views of FRLHT. If anyone wants to know more detail about this process, please write to the Director, FRLHT. (www.frlht.org) With regards Vijayasankar On Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 12:24 AM, Pankaj Oudhia <[email protected]>wrote: > Thanks Vijayashanakr ji again. I was part of this workshop in IIFM, Bhopal. > > > Unfortunately very few ground level workers attended this workshop. Most of > them were dependent on old reference materials for deciding the present > status of plants. We were rememberibg the school days when one person was > preparing the note and others were copying the same even word to word. Later > your organisation published it as book and it came in recommendtation. > > I felt that in such workshops participation of Traditional Healers and > forest guards with scientists can make it really useful. One herb trader > from Bhopal has attended this workshop. He was having immense knowledge > about rare herbs but the format was in English. He attended first day and > then after seeing the heap of books he never visited again. No doubt FRLHT > took good step but practical difficultiues were there. The format shoukld be > in regional languages. The researchers from Raigarh were not aware of > "Pantropical" like words and they kept the sheets half filled but in > publsihed book full sheets were there. > > Not aware how much money it took to organise this megaevent but today I > feel that such information can be gathered in one tenth cost with reliable > information and honorarium to participants with the help of EFLORAIndia like > groups. > > In that workshop Dr.Sahu from Sagar walked out from the venue on the issue > of extracting valuable information from researchers without paying them an > honorarium. When he returned back his supporters started filling wrong > information which later gone in recommnedations. > > But I felt fortunate to meet FRLHT experts like Dr. Ravi Kumar and Dr.Ved. > > regards > > Pankaj Oudhia > > On Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 5:24 AM, Vijayasankar <[email protected]>wrote: > >> As per the recent national level study "Demand and Supply of medicinal >> plants in India" conducted by FRLHT, Bangalore the annual trade/demand of >> roots of Oroxylum indicum reported to be 1000-2000 MT. Due to this >> unprecedented demand and over-exploitation, the wild populations (already >> they are slow growing and sporadic by nature) are facing serious threat of >> extinction. As the roots are used (it is an ingredient in Dasamula arishtam) >> the entire plants are uprooted and thus killed. This not only wipes the >> existing population, but stops the regeneration too. >> >> This species has been assigned with various threat categories (following >> IUCN guidelines) ranging from Vulnerable to Endangered, for nine different >> states, through CAMP workshops conducted by FRLHT with collaboration of >> various stake holders such as the state forest depts., scientists, traders, >> local knowledgeable community etc. >> >> The good news is large scale cultivation has been initiated by forest >> dept. of Gujarat and perhaps few other states to meet the ever increasing >> demand for the species. And various state forest depts. (incl Orissa) have >> taken up conservation measures, following FRLHT's recommendations, to >> conserve the species *in situ*. >> >> With regards >> >> Vijayasankar >> >> >> On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 1:30 PM, Pankaj Oudhia >> <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Thanks Vijayashankar ji. I have observed rich population in Orissa also. >>> Old trees in dense forest are still safe as only Traditional Healers are >>> aware of its presence. They discuss less about it because of fear of "Wood >>> mafia" as well as Greedy traders. >>> >>> regards >>> >>> Pankaj Oudhia >>> >>> On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 8:38 PM, Vijayasankar >>> <[email protected]>wrote: >>> >>>> Though O. indicum is distributed across India, it is sporadic by nature. >>>> You can't have a sizable population in one place. But we (FRLHT) have >>>> observed a large population only in Chhattisgarh, and proposed the site for >>>> *in situ* conservation. >>>> >>>> With regards >>>> >>>> Vijayasankar >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 9:27 AM, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected] >>>> > wrote: >>>> >>>>> I believe this is what we call the survival of the fittest. Most >>>>> probably the seedlings germinating on the other leaves or within the >>>>> fruit coat wont survive for long. The plant is usually adapted for >>>>> wind dispersal but it may happen due to abrupt rain. >>>>> >>>>> Why would a seed like to be dispersed like that, i.e., away from the >>>>> mother plant: >>>>> The possible answer which I could think is JUST TO REDUCE COMPETITION >>>>> WITH THE MOTHER PLANT. >>>>> >>>>> But indeed this is a nice observation. If possible please keep an eye >>>>> to check if the seedings can survive for long or if you wish to >>>>> conserve the species, then you can just collect the seedlings and >>>>> plant them at some distance from the mother plant. I dont know much >>>>> about you Mr. Neil, but just in case you are a researcher then you may >>>>> try to atleast publish this as a short note or wait for sometime to >>>>> check if they survive and then publish it. It will just need some >>>>> field observation from your side. >>>>> Regards >>>>> Pankaj >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> >
