India’s “highest” herbal park was inaugurated at Mana in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
- The main aim of the herbal park is to conserve various medicinally and culturally important alpine species, and facilitate a study on the propagation of these species, as well as their ecology.
- The herbal park is built at a height of 11,000 feet and is adjacent to the famous Badrinath temple in Mana, which is the last Indian village in Chamoli bordering China.
- Around 40 species of herbal plants found in high alpine areas in the Himalayan region are conserved in this herbal park.
- Many of herbal species are included in the IUCN’s “red list” and declared “endangered and threatened” by the State Biodiversity board as well.
- The herbal park is categorised into four sections. The first section is dedicated to species associated with Badrinath, the second is for “Ashtavarga” species, the third section houses herbs belonging to the Saussurea species and the fourth section consists of assorted alpine species.
