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Lead Botanical Garden
HISTORY OF LEAD BOTANICAL GARDEN OF SHIVAJI UNIVERSITY, KOLHAPUR
Shivaji University, Kolhapur is situated on shoulders of Western Ghats. The University holds 850 acres of land. The landscape itself is undulating and provides excellent opportunities to grow and conserve various kinds of species of Western Ghats. The Department of Botany was established in 1964. Initially a land of 6 acres was allotted to the department where some plantation were made but due to lack of funds, no visible garden was established till 1985. In 1985 additional 6 acres of land was demanded by the department for botanical garden and University authorities provided the land to the department which initiated development of garden around the department. In couple of years, the garden became visible with introduction of various plant species and continuous enrichment of the garden. However, it took almost 4-5 years to give sure shape to the garden. Developing garden is not overnight job but requires continuous activity for its growth.
Fortunately, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) provided funds for infrastructure in garden which boosted the activities of the garden and the garden took a good shape. Ministry of Environment and Forests funded the garden in 1996, since then the plant species especially those which are endemic and endangered are introduced in the garden and the garden is enriched by the plants from various parts of the country especially from Western Ghats of India. By 2005, more than 150 endemic plant species were introduced in the garden which boosted research in the department. The Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, New Delhi, supported our several projects on bio-prospecting of Western Ghats, mapping and quantification of plant diversity of Western Ghats and especially for conservation and restoration of 20 critically endangered endemic plant species of Western Ghats which resulted in establishment of good infrastructure for micro-propagation, conventional propagation, nursery development, irrigation facilities and protection to botanical garden.
In 2005, a team of expert deputed by Ministry of Environment of Forests to visit our garden. The achievements of the garden were presented and Expert Committee recommended the garden for funding. This garden was first Botanical Garden in India which is declared as Lead Botanical Garden for Western India with funding from MoEF for additional required infrastructure. Moreover, University provided additional land of 30 acres for plantation which is also very important achievement of the department. Thus the garden is in its youth today. Botany department’s ambition is to convert entire campus of 850 acres of this educational institute into biodiversity park which will not only act as a Lungs of Kolhapur but as a centre of botanical activities, germplasm depository from where germplasm will flow to society, students and researchers and recreation place for generations to come.
• Establishment of Victoria Amazonicain LBG- A centre of attraction for school students.
• Establishment of Field Gene Banks for Indian Barleria, Flemingia, Crinum, Pancratium, Drimia, Dipcadi, Aponogeton, Chlorophytum species in LBS.
• Making Leaf Botanical Garden self-reliable in its water requirement through wells, and water conservation by developing water bodies.
• Establishment of an Arboretum of 80 (100) endemic and threatened trees species of Western Ghats.
• Bio-prospecting of Mucunasanjappae and Crinum malabaricum for active biomolecules
• Utilization of Wild species viz. Barleria species, Salacia chinensis, Crinums as an Ornamentals.
• Conservation of majority of bulbous and endemic plant species (ca 40) in Botanical garden.
• Collection, propagation and introduction of more than 25 Indigenous palms in Botanical garden and establishment of Palm groove havi
- Objectives of Lead Botanical Garden
• Ex- situ conservation and multiplication of Threatened and Endemic plants species of Western Ghats.
• Establishment of seedbanks.
• Reintroduction and rehabilitation of plants in its natural habitats.
• Create awareness in people about biodiversity conservationandSustainable utilization.
- Functions of Lead Botanical Garden
• Help to conserve natural vegetation specially Threatened and Endemic species through multiplying and rehabilitating them in natural habitats.
• Undertake botanic research resulting in excellent referral system for plants as authentically identified, classified and labeled live collection in gardens and as dry collections (pressed, processed and mounted specimens) in herbaria both for monitoring and documentation of threatened and endemic plant resources of the country.
• Study of phenology and response of the plants to climate variability/change.
• Carry out conservation biological studies with a view to find out ecological, biological and genetic bottlenecks or barriers in the reproduction and survival of species.
• Carry out rehabilitation/recovery programmes for threatened and endemic species.
• Serve as center of training with expertise in a focused area of subject specialization including horticulture.
• Building up of information on in-situ as well as ex-situ conservation of the threatened and endemic species and their habitats.
• Compile information on the area of occurrence, area of occupancy, number and size of populations, spatial distribution of populations, identification of important associates such as pollinators and dispersers, reproductive and breeding systems, population trends in relation to habitat changes and pattern of disturbance etc. Prepare Red Data Sheets for the selected species as per IUCN format.
• Promote environmental awareness of nature conservation through well designed education programmes and educational materials.
• Develop relevant research and development (R&D) expertise and capabilities in undertaking modem conservation and gene banking techniques including in-vitro tissue banks, DNA and Cryo-Bank.
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