India's Highest Herbal Park At Altitude Of 11,000 Feet Inaugurated Near Indo-China Border In Uttarakhand's Chamoli

India's highest herbal park situated at an altitude of 11,000 feet has been inaugurated in Mana village in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.

Mana, the last Indian village close to the Indo-China border, is a few kilometres away from the holy Himalayan hindu shrine of Shri Badrinath.

The herbal park has been developed by the research wing of the Uttarakhand forest department on the land given by Mana van panchayat, under the central government's CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act) scheme, reports Economic Times.

According to the report, the herbal park has around 40 species found in high altitude alpine areas in the Himalayan region, with many of them classified as endangered and threatened as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as well as the State Biodiversity Board.

The park also has many important medicinal herbs in it.

The herbal park is divided into four sections. The first section is associated with Lord Badrinath and includes herbs like Badri Tulsi, Badri Ber, Badri Tree and sacred tree of Bhojpatra.

The second section includes Ashtavarga species, a group of eight herbs found in the Himalayan region, namely Riddhi (Habenaria Intermedia), Vriddhi (Habenaria Edgeworthii), Jeevak (Malaxis Acuminata), Rishbhak (Malaxis Muscifera), Kakoli (Fritillaria Roylei), Ksheer Kakoli (Lilium Polyphyllum), Maida (Ploygonatum Cirrhifolium), and Maha Maida (Polygonatum Verticillatum).

The third section of the park consists of Saussurea species and includes Brahmakamal (Saussurea Obvallata), Phemkamal (Saussurea Simpsoniana), Nilkamal (Saussurea Graminifolia) and Koot (Saussurea Costus). It should be noted that the Brahmakamal is the state flower of Uttarakhand.

The fourth section consists of assorted alpine species including Ateesh, Meethavish, Vankakdi, and Choru.