Wetland restoration initiative launched in the Nilgiris
A collaborative wetland restoration project has been launched in the Nilgiris to remove invasive plant species and reintroduce native flora. The initiative aims to improve local hydrology and enhance carbon sequestration in the region.
Why it matters
Restoring degraded wetlands is critical for maintaining biodiversity and building climate resilience in sensitive ecological zones.
A wetland restoration initiative was inaugurated at Wellington in the Nilgiris recently.
Arulagam, a conservation NGO, Upstream Ecology Foundation, Madras Regimental Centre (MRC-Wellington), and volunteers from the State Street Foundation are collaborating on the project.
“The initiative aims to address critical ecological degradation by eradicating invasive plant species choking a wetland habitat and reintroducing native Nilgiris flora to the area,” said S. Bharathidasan, secretary of Arulagam.
Upstream Ecology Foundation has also identified in the area lesser-known invasive species, such as Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle, native to West Asia) and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Alligator Weed, native to South America), which threaten the region’s delicate hydrology. Upstream Ecology Foundation’s aim with this initiative is to highlight such overlooked plant invasions before they irreparably displace indigenous biodiversity, a press release said.
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