Bringing life back to Western Ghats grasslands
The HinduTropical montane grasslands in the Shola Sky Islands of the Western Ghats have suffered big reductions due to invasions by exotic trees such as acacias, pines and eucalyptus, shrinking the range sizes of endemic species, including plants, birds, amphibians and mammals. They focus on identifying grassland restoration sites using satellite images with a high spatial resolution, and have recommended careful removal of young and isolated exotic trees at the invasion front and restoring grasslands, instead of removing dense stands of mature exotic trees. Attempts to manage invasive exotic trees in montane grasslands incorporated approaches that include prevention and mechanical, chemical and biological control. “Our study identified an area of 254 sq km for grassland restoration, 362 sq km of intact montane grasslands for conservation, and 606 sq km of mature exotic tree stands in the Nilgiris, Palani Hills and Anamalai.
History of this topic
Invasive species threatens wildlife habitats of Western Ghats
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