CONSERVATION
Preserving the grassy knolls
SUBHA J RAO
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Grass Hills in Tamil Nadu is a remnant of the unique shola grasslands found only in the higher reaches of the Western Ghats.
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The shola grasslands are a unique ecosystem. A host of species found here, like the Nilgiri tahr and Nilgiri Pipit, are not found anywhere in the world.
Photo: K. Ananthan
Fire lines: Patterns emerge in a carpet of grass.
BETWEEN its folds and vales, the grassy mounds nurture a variety of native wildlife. The Nilgiri tahr grazes in the crests of the hills and the Nilgiri pipit chirps in the grasslands below. Somewhere in between, in the shoals and grasslands dotting the slopes and the waterholes, live elephants, tigers, bison, leopards, Nilgiri marten, and a host of other wild species.
This is the rich biodiversity of Grass Hills in Tamil Nadu, considered one of the best remnants of the unique shola grassland ecosystem found only in the higher reaches of the Western Ghats mountain chain. Halfway through the 90-minute backbreaking journey through the forest, the 40-sq. km. grassy knolls come into view.
Human disturbances
Patterns emerge in the unending carpet of grass — a copse of shola trees resembles a mango and another, the outline of India. The fire lines drawn around them emphasise their shape. These are by far the only things man-made in Grass Hills.
Signs of human disturbance mar this natural spectacle. Weeds spread along roads, fire lines, clearings, and some burnt areas. Spindly wattle (Acacia mearnsii, native to Australia) tarnishes the otherwise pristine grassland. English officers, who thought grasslands were wastelands bereft of trees, planted monocultures (one species planted in large numbers) of non-native species such as wattle and pine here. To them, trees meant timber, and timber, money.
A forest official who has worked in the area says that the officers posted there did not realise the importance of grasslands. And, they did not know that at that climate and with that rainfall, only grasslands could survive.
Protected in the folds of the hills are the shola pockets that provide the only shelter for the sensitive evergreen trees, shrubs, and herbs such as the wild balsams. Luckily, the officials soon woke up and restricted the planting of monocultures to just some pockets. The remaining hills are covered with a diversity of grasses (the higher the altitude the shorter the grass) and Kurinji bushes, which are now in full bloom.
"The shola grasslands are a unique ecosystem. A host of species found here, like the Nilgiri tahr and Nilgiri Pipit, are not found anywhere else in the world. Many are endangered and small populations survive only such in relatively undisturbed areas," says T. R. Shankar Raman of the Mysore-based
Nature Conservation Foundation, who lives in nearby Valparai. He says these are enough reasons to preserve the area. Trekking along the mounds, the forest watcher points out a hilltop. Something moves in silhouette — a herd of Nilgiri tahr. In the next two hours, we spot wild dog and leopard droppings and traces of bison movement.
Grass Hills is also part of the tentative list put out by the Government of India for World Heritage status. It is one of the 39 sites in the Western Ghats, which finds a place in the serial sites category. The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore; the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun; the Nature Foundation, Mysore; and the Ministry of Environment and Forests held national consultations to prepare the dossier for this.
Grass Hills, say ecologists, acts like a sponge soaking up the 5,000-6,000 mm of rainfall that falls every year. Grasslands also prevent soil erosion and release the stored water slowly, ensuring that the Konalar and other rivers remain perennial.
Not open
This area has managed to retain its natural values because it has not been opened to tourists, says Shankar Raman. Besides the threat of tourism, the spread of invasive species such as wattle is a major area of concern.
Like Shankar, Robert Stewart and Tanya Balcar of the Vattakanal Conservation Trust (VCT) (formed in 2001) in Kodaikanal have been working for 20 years to protect the few remaining grasslands in the Palani Hills. In some areas in Kukkal village and near the Kerala border, they have started grassland nurseries to restore the natural grasslands. The Act preventing planting of exotics in forests is a shot in the arm, says Tanya.
Water security
Locals have taken over some patches of grassland and she says it is difficult to get them to move. "We must understand that these people are not rich and that the element of income is involved." Tanya is also passionate about the water security aspect. "Plantation trees are water guzzlers while the marshes and grasslands hold water." As for opening the area to tourism, she says: "Tourism means lots of rubbish." The VCT is trying to clear those areas where eucalyptus is few in number and their focus is on the crests of the hills, the home of the tahr.
Shankar Raman says, "For ecological reasons, it is important to keep this area inviolate. It is now a global benchmark of shola grasslands because it has escaped plantations, development and tourism. It needs to stay that way. Let's face it. There is little appreciation of how people should deal with Nature."
However, he accepts that it is necessary to let people know about the treasures in this ecosystem. His suggestion? Visit areas already open to regulated tourism such as at Rajamala, near Munnar, where one can watch the tahr at close quarters.
Factfile
Where to stay: There is no accommodation at Grass Hills. Visitors usually stay at Valparai and trek from Akkamalai gate to Konalar (8-9 km).
How to go: The road is traversable only in good weather. Take a local bus or jeep to Akkamalai gate. The bad road, terrain and leeches help keep out non-serious visitors.
For details, contact Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden,
Panagal Building, 1, Jeenis Road, Saidapet, Chennai - 600015.
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