Sign In
Learn bits
Ecology & Environment, Geography
Mahesh

08/07/22 06:15 AM IST

Gujarat to restore 76,000 hectares of Banni grasslands

In News 
  • The Gujarat state Forest Department intends to restore 76,000 hectares of Banni grasslands in the coming decade, starting with a target of 10,000 hectares of land next year.
Banni Grassland 
  • It is the largest grassland (accounting for 45% of pastures in Gujarat) in Asia situated near the Great Rann of Kutchin Gujarat.
  • Two ecosystems, wetlands and grasslands, are mixed side by side in Banni.
  • It is dominated by low-growing plants, forbs and graminoids, many of which are halophiles (salt-tolerant).
  • It is a Reserve Forest (most restricted forest; local people are prohibited unless specifically allowed by a Forest Officer in the course of the settlement.
  • Maldharis are a tribal herdsmen community inhabiting Banni.
  • It is one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetahin India and a possible reintroduction site for the species.
Concerns 
  • Heavy uncontrolled grazing, widespread ingress of Prosopis Juliflora (a harmful exotic tree species), dams constructed on rivers flowing towards Banni, periodic occurrence of droughts and continuous increase in soil salinity.
Source- TimesNow 

More Related Current Affairs View All

11 Feb

International Criminal Court

'US President Donald Trump has authorised economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on International Criminal Court investigations of US citizens or US allies such as

Read More

06 Feb

Supreme Court directive on sacred groves

'The Supreme Court directed the Forest Department of Rajasthan to map on the ground and via satellite every ‘sacred grove’ in detail.' They were to be identified irr

Read More

06 Feb

Story of NavIC

'India’s space agency reported the partial failure of its NVS-02 navigation satellite due to the non-firing of its engines in space.' This was the latest in a series of se

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps