Kozhikode: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan will inaugurate the Bioresources Nature Park at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) sub-centre at Nilambur on Sunday.

The function will be held on the Teak Museum premises in the morning. Minister for Forests Benoy Viswom will inaugurate the touch-screen teak information system. Nilambur MLA Aryadan Mohammed will preside over the inaugural session, said U.M. Chandrashekara, scientist-in-charge of the sub-centre.

Mr. Achuthanandan will release an information brochure on the park, compact discs on tree identification and flowering plants of Kerala and a journal of bamboo and rattan. He will plant teak clones and visit the museum.

Mr. Chandrashekara said the park was set up at a cost of Rs. 40 lakh with financial assistance of the Department of Biotechnology of the Union Government and the State Planning and Economic Affairs Department. It has several conservation theme areas, with special reference to endemic, rare, endangered and threatened species.

The park had areas for thallophytes (for instance, algae and macro-fungi); bryophytes; pteridophytes; xerophytes (cacti, succulents and so on); aquatic, medicinal, ornamental and aesthetic plants (orchids, palms and the like); and other monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants.

The germplasm collection of groups of plants would be beneficial to students, researchers, nature enthusiasts, environment activists and those engaged in conservation and management of plant biodiversity, Mr. Chandrashekara said.

People could see live specimens and know about the habitat, ecological, social, cultural and economical importance of each plant at the park, located adjacent to the museum, on the way to Mysore and Ooty, he said.

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