Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Branch Laboratory Srinagar, on Tuesday organised a one-day outreach programme on the conservation of critically endangered flora of the Kashmir Himalayas at its Field Station in Verinag, Anantnag. Titled “Preserving the Paradise: Conserving Critically Endangered Flora of the Kashmir Himalayas,” the event sought to raise public awareness about threatened plant species and the importance of protecting the region’s rich plant diversity.
The programme was held under the CSIR Mission Mode Project Bioresource Conservation and Prospection (BioCaP). It brought together scientists, forestry experts, Forest Department officials and students on a common platform to promote a better understanding of native plant species and their ecological and medicinal significance.
Director of CSIR-IIIM Jammu and CSIR-NBRI, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, attended as chief guest. Addressing participants, he stressed the need to build awareness among the younger generation about their responsibility to conserve natural resources. Dr Ahmed also drew attention to the wider relevance of India’s traditional knowledge, especially in the field of medicinal and aromatic plants, and called for linking that heritage with contemporary scientific research. Conservation, he said, must go beyond protecting plant species to safeguarding the knowledge systems and potential applications associated with these bioresources.
A key feature of the day was an interaction with Forest Department officials under the “Know Your Forests” initiative. The session helped participants appreciate the value of forests, the threats facing native vegetation and the role local stakeholders can play in conservation.
The “Tree Talk” activity introduced participants to native plant species and encouraged students to observe and understand the floral diversity around them. A Conservation Innovation Challenge invited young participants to propose practical and innovative solutions for protecting plant biodiversity, while the “Healing with Nature” segment showcased medicinal plants and their healthcare applications, demonstrating the link between the region’s plant wealth, traditional knowledge and modern science.
The Kashmir Himalayas are home to a remarkable range of medicinal and aromatic species, many of which face pressure from habitat loss, over collection and climate change. Outreach efforts of this kind are therefore valuable, since lasting conservation depends not only on laboratories and forest departments but also on informed communities and a generation of young people who understand what is at stake.
By combining field exposure, hands on activities and interaction with experts, the Verinag programme offered students a practical introduction to biodiversity protection. It also reinforced the role of institutions such as CSIR-IIIM in connecting scientific research with local needs, conservation priorities and the sustainable use of the Valley’s plant resources.
