In a significant step towards biodiversity conservation, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has set up the state’s first Cycad Garden in Haldwani, featuring a collection of 31 different cycad species, including 17 classified as threatened.
The specialised garden, developed over an area of more than two acres, has been funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of its support for environmental sustainability projects in India.
Among the 31 species, nine are native to India, a notable achievement considering that only around 14 cycad species have been reported from the country. Some of the rare and prominent Indian species featured in the garden include Cycas andamanica, Cycas beddomei, Cycas zeylanica, Cycas pectinata, and Cycas circinalis.
The Cycad Garden not only serves as a hub for conservation and research but also aims to raise public awareness about the ecological importance of cycads—ancient seed plants.
Chief Conservator of Forests (Research), Sanjiv Chaturvedi, said, "Cycads are the most threatened group of plants on earth, and they have been on this planet since the Mesozoic era. This garden has been established for conservation and studies on plant evolution and climate change impact."
Spread across approximately 0.75 hectare, the garden currently showcases around 20 cycad species. Among the notable species housed in the garden are Cycas annaikalensis from Kerala, Cycas orixensis from the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, and Cycas beddomei from Andhra Pradesh—plants that are not only regionally unique but also ecologically significant.
Often referred to as "living fossils," cycads are among the oldest surviving plant groups on Earth. For centuries, humans have used them for food, medicine, and cultural rituals, while their ornamental value has made them popular but also subject to overexploitation.
Cycads are slow-growing, long-lived plants with low reproductive rates, making them especially vulnerable to habitat disturbances. They also play a crucial ecological role by fixing nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria in their coralloid roots.
The garden, established with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is designed not only to conserve these threatened species but also to serve as a hub for research and public education. By offering visitors a glimpse into the world of cycads, the initiative underscores the urgent need to protect these ancient plants for future generations.
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