Photo Credit: ANI
Shivamogga: When most of mankind is turning the world into a “concrete jungle” in the name of development, indirectly resulting in the disruption of the lives of other living beings and the ecosystem, here’s a person who has strived to preserve rare species of plants and herbs.
Environmentalist B Venkatagiri, who has travelled across the state to educate people about the importance of herbs, has till date, preserved over 500 herbal plants and about 1500 varieties of seeds, which are on the verge of extinction.
Some lecturers and professors from different colleges have even sought him out to learn about the rare plants.
Venkatagiri has researched the wildlife of the Western Ghats for four decades, which according to him is now covered with Acacia, Teakwood, Nilgiri and other plant species.
“I keep collecting the seeds of the endangered species and trying to regerminate them in my house,” says Venkatagiri.
The environmentalist has also grown special plants that are mentioned in the sacred texts. The plants are Navagrahavana, Nakshatravana, Nanadanavana, Ashwini Vana and Pavitra Vana.
He wishes to transfer his knowledge of these endangered plants to the youth and grow these species in their natural habitat in the forests of the Western Ghats.
Venkatagiri has also built herbal gardens for the Ayurvedic colleges as well as the forest department offices.
For his efforts, he has won several accolades from the state.
