Ecological patriotism
I believe our flag is for our people, our flora, and our fauna.
“That’s Lantana Camara, please don’t melt and wait upon its colorful deception”. One of the many admonishments from an ecological patriot born on Indian soil. Our forest hike in the Nagerhole National Park offered much room for similar discussions. If you are interested in a forest hike, look for a companion who can feel the earth in his soul, and whose ears can catch the native song from the alien. For stories are great when blended with history and pieces of time; so are these plants and animals that are inseparable characters in our evolution and existence.
Flame-of-the-forest is this and not the Gulmohar, he said ,pointing to the Palash tree that was burning the sky orange. Then he picked up the beak shaped fire that was tucked on the nearby bush and detailed its structure.
Should we even have patriotic sentiments for our plant world? How far should this patriotism go and why ?
It is a tricky question and for me this thought is far from any strong antipathy to innocent vegetations that have established itself on foreign soil. It is partly man who is to be blamed, whose touristic return baggage got some crispy seeds or healthy saplings to invalidate the humble native plants. The slow biodiversity loss is beyond reckoning for their convenient minds. But why would you face diversity loss with an alien plant reporting its growth on the foreign soil? Simple. Survival of the fittest, Darwin’s proven theory. These alien plants may just be more powerful and exclusive, depleting the soil off all nutrients that were necessary for the co-existence of native plants thereby impoverishing them such as to wipe them away. Note that not every native plant is docile, there are fighters too !! Here I focus on the norm, which is overly always the alien plants invading the kingdoms. The “alien invasive species” as it is commonly understood.
Biodiversity is the life of a healthy ecosystem. To put it simple, biodiversity on a piece of land is akin to a balanced meal on your plate.
Organisms living on a biodiverse habitat thrive in comfort and this includes man. Study shows that people susceptible to pollen allergy usually don’t have any triggers from the pollens of native plants. Recall the Congress grass (Parthenium) that sneaked into India in early 90s and spread like weed fire causing skin allergies to humans, loss of crops and more. It has invaded over millions of acres of land already. Many such aliens deplete water resources, degrade quality of water and soil, putting many livelihoods at risk. Lantana Camara which I described earlier, has already invaded 40% of India’s forests. Rapid. Not a delectable proposal for the deers. It disrupts and displaces them. This alters the habitat of the tigers and so on. The interconnect is sacred and should be respected !
Let us move from forest to our decorated human settlements
Orange, yellow, pink trees that iconize your landscape — you should know that the most adored ones are not India’s own.
The red fiery Golmohar tree with its red spoon like blossoms is originally a native of Madagascar and not India.Certainly ornamental. Brought during British rule from Madgascar. Its red hues are indeed a delight. But so is India’s own flame of the forest. If you look up at the Gulmohar tree, you may find only pigeons and crows, the rugged avians. You will certainly not find sparrows up there who are disillusioned by the alien variety, their evolution still not adapted to it. The sorry numbers of sparrows in India’s urban world can be attributed to such fashionable foreign trees ! Well who is not tricked by beauty !!
Another popular ornamental is the yellow / golden trumpet tree, indescribably pretty between spring and monsoon. If it was not depleting the water table, it is more or less harmless. I personally love the lanes that are fenced by these golden trumpet trees. But if it is yellow hues that you really need to see, instead of the Golden trumpet you could settle for India’s own golden shower tree. What pretty bells hang off its branches like delicate gold chimes. Its flowers mark the onset of April and summer.
The pink trumpet tree is also ornamental; pretty and highly invasive in some parts of India. While it is quickly growing, it ensures it shunts the growth of the native vegetation. Great blooms, bees heaven, but foreign it is and you never really can measure how much it can impact the erstwhile ecosystem. Any case, if it is pink blossoms that you need, go for the Pride of India plant (Lagerstroemia speciosa).
As again, I have no antipathy for the alien plants, it is just a lookout for democracy. Freedom for all, among humans and in the plant kingdom. That’s the highlight of this article, the only highlight.
Gulmohar Vs Palash -
Few compass nodes -
· Shape a ‘native flora ‘ world and flaunt it with pride.
· Be cautious and not liberal with your plant choices, it will ease your landscaping maintenance.
· Go native and improve your exceptional benefaction for a green environment and “be the green champion” !!
