New Delhi, Aug 18 (HS): India on Monday launched its first-ever guide to grasslands and other open natural ecosystems at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Mongolia.

The guide highlights the diversity, ecological significance and socio-economic importance of India's grasslands, savannas and deserts. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, in a video message at the event, described the publication as an important step towards recognising India's open natural ecosystems and called for their science-based conservation alongside forests.

Yadav said grasslands, scrublands and ravines had for long been judged primarily by the absence of trees, despite supporting unique species and sustaining pastoral communities.

“Modern science reinforces the understanding of local communities that healthy grasslands are indispensable for biodiversity, livelihoods and climate resilience,” he said.

The guide brings together information on major open natural ecosystems across India, covering their geographical settings, ecological characteristics, biodiversity and the communities and tribes associated with them.

It also contains thematic sections on pastoralism, fire ecology and carbon sequestration.

India's open natural ecosystems include Himalayan and Terai grasslands, the Thar and Banni landscapes, Deccan savannas, rocky plateaus, ravines, scrublands, coastal ecosystems and desert landscapes.

According to the guide, these ecosystems support diverse biodiversity, contribute to soil and water processes, store substantial amounts of carbon in their soils and sustain pastoral, livestock-based and agricultural livelihoods.

The publication underlines the ecological and socio-economic importance of open natural ecosystems and the need to strengthen their conservation and management.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar