India's highest altitude herbal park, situated at a height of 11,000 feet, was inaugurated on Saturday at Mana village close to the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, officials said.

Mana is the last Indian village in Chamoli bordering China, and is adjacent to the famous Himalayan temple of Badrinath.

The research wing of Uttarakhand's forest department developed the park over three acres of land given by Mana Van Panchayat, under the Central government's Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAMPA) scheme.

Endangered species

The herbal park has around 40 species found in high altitude alpine areas in the Himalayan region, Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Chief Conservator of Forest (Research), said.

Many of these species are endangered and threatened as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as well as the State Biodiversity Board. It includes many important medicinal herbs as well, he added.

The park is divided into four sections.

The first section contains species associated with Badrinath (Lord Vishnu), which includes Badri Tulsi, Badri Ber, Badri Tree, and the sacred tree of Bhojpatra. Badri Tulsi, whose scientific name is Origanum Vulgare, is found in this area and forms an important part of offerings to Badrinath. Various studies have established its multiple medicinal benefits. Badri Ber, scientifically known as Hippophae Salicifolia and locally called as Amaesh, is another nutrition-rich fruit that is used widely, Chaturvedi said.

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The second section is dedicated to 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), which are the most important ingredients of Chyawanprash, he said. Of these, four herbs belong to the lily family and four belong to the orchid family, he added.

The third section consists of Saussurea species and includes Brahmakamal (Saussurea Obvallata) which also happens to be the state flower of Uttarakhand. Other Saussurea species at the park are Phemkamal (Saussurea Simpsoniana), Nilkamal (Saussurea Graminifolia) and Koot (Saussurea Costus), Chaturvedi said.

The fourth section consists of assorted alpine species including Ateesh, Meethavish, Vankakdi, and Choru, all of which are important medicinal herbs and are in great demand, he added.

Besides these, trees of Thuner (Taxus Wallichiana), whose bark is used in making cancer drugs, Tansen and Maple trees are also grown in the park, Chaturvedi said.

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