With concern growing over the increasing threat to the natural vegetation of the Nilgiris from aliens the Nilgiris Wildlife and Environment Association (NWEA) has set in motion a campaign to enhance awareness about the problem and simultaneously remove the exotics from ecologically sensitive areas.
Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a programme organised by NWEA at Cairn Hill, near here on Wednesday to launch the campaign, the vice-president of the 138-year-old association S. Kuppuraja said that the situation on the aliens front was alarming.
District Forest Officer, the Nilgiris South, C. Badhrasamy lamented that various kinds of exotic species introduced during the days of the Raj with the good intention of preventing shola trees from being used as fuel were now posing a threat to the hill ecology.
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Secretary, NWEA, D. Lawrence said that among the aliens cestrum was the biggest villain.
Member, Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Greening Project S. Rajan said that the problems created by aliens were man-made.
The Deputy Director, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, D. Chandran said that management of aliens was a major activity in the reserve.
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Wildlife Biologist B. Ramakrishnan said that effective monitoring was necessary to prevent the problem from getting out of hand.
NWEA Executive Committee member K. Vijay said that as part of a strategy chalked out by the NWEA alien plants over about one hectare would be pulled out at Mukurthi soon.