Tamil Nadu   

`Create rainforest park in Valparai'

M. Gunasekaran

EYE CATCHING: Rhododendron flower, one among the native species in the Anamalais. - File photo: K. Ananthan

VALPARAI: With the State Government actively planning to promote Valparai a major tourist attraction of the region, a team of wildlife biologists stationed in the tea town have come out with a suggestion that a rainforest park be established showcasing native and rare species of Anamalais.

"Rainforests in the Valparai region still has a variety of wildlife species which are found nowhere else in the world. Many people may not be aware of the richness of rainforest wealth," says Sankararaman and Anandakumar of Nature Conservation Foundation.

Pollachi Sub-Collector Vijay Pingale says 17 acres belonging to the Public Works Department have been identified to establish a park as part of tourism development programme.

Despite many attractions, the hill station does not have a place to keep the tourists for a day or two. The park was aimed at addressing the lacunae, he adds.

"None of the tourist places in India has a rainforest park.

Setting up one at Valparai will make this place a distinctive one for tourists, says Mr. Sankararaman.

Many do not know that Valparai has a large number of black dammar and ironwood trees. Rainforests are treasure houses of many endemic and endangered wild species. Currently, rain forests are in a fragmented form because of plantations, Mr. Anandakumar says.

Mr. Pingale says the proposal will be examined by the authorities.

The Wildlife Warden of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Santuaty and National Park, K.R. Varadharajan, doubts whether the native species would attract tourists.

It would take several years for creating such a park.

Mr. Sundararaman, however, cites the success of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in South Africa.

It is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora. It grows only indigenous South African plants.

Wildlife biologists say authorities should not uproot any species in the forests for establishing a park.

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