Green Kerala Initiative

1. GREEN KERALA INITIATIVE
Project Funded by
Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment
(KSCSTE)
Thiruvananthapuram
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN AND
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
PALODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

2. AIM AND OBJECTIVES
 To conduct survey, collection and multiplication
of threatened tree species of the Western Ghats-
Kerala region.
 To evaluate the threat status of the targeted
species
 To plant multiplied saplings to the field in
connection with Kerala Forest department,
LSGDs, Sacred grove authorities and public.
 To educate the importance of these threatened
species to schools and college students.

3. Co-ordinator
:
DIRECTOR
KSCSTE-JNTBGRI
Assistant Coordinator
:
Dr. RAJ VIKRAMAN R
Head & Principal Scientist
Garden Management Division
Nodal Officer : Dr E S Santhosh Kumar
Technical Officer
Team Members : Dr T.Sabu (Technical Officer)
Dr A Hussain (Technical Officer)
Mr S.M. Shareef (Technical Officer)
Budget allocated :
Rs 9,58,000
Budget sanctioned
Rs 7,66,400
Budget utilized
Rs 1,42,564
Balance amount
Rs 6,23,836

4. Species Selected for the study
Scientific Name Status
1.Buchanania abrahamiana E.S.S. Kumar & Shareef Critically Endangered
2.Buchanania barberi Gamble Critically Endangered
3.Buchanania lanzan var. palodensis E.S.S.Kumar & al. Critically Endangered
4.Calophyllum apetalum Wild. Vulnerable
5.Cycas anaikalensis Rita Singh & P.Radha Critically endangered
6.Cynometra bourdillonii Gamble Endangered
7.Gymnacranthera canarica (King) Warb Vulnerable
8.Humboldtia vahliana Wight Endangered
9.Madhuca balakrishnanii E.S.S.Kumar & al. Critically endangered
10.Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) Alston Endangered
11.Syzygium caryophyllatum var
abrahamianum Shareef & E.S.S.Kumar
Critically Endangered
12.Syzygium makul Gaertn. Vulnerable

5. Out of the 13 species, only 8 species are required forest
permission:-
Buchanania abrahamiana
Madhuca balakrishnanii E.S.S.Kumar & al.
Syzygium caryophyllatum var abrahamianum
Buchanania lanzan var. palodensis

6. Buchanania barberi (rediscovered in 2002)-planted tree at JNTBGRI
Arboretum

8. Scientific Name No of seedlings Ready for
field planting
Buchanania abrahamiana (2 mature trees) 17 10
Buchanania barberi (5 mature trees) 26 20
Buchanania lanzan var. palodensis (1 tree) 08 05
Calophyllum apetalum 876 350
Cycas anaikalensis 0
Cynometra bourdillonii 0
Gymnacranthera canarica 100 50
Humboldtia vahliana 26 20
Madhuca balakrishnanii ( 2 mature trees) 06 05
Syzygium caryophyllatum 1073 700
Syzygium caryophyllatum var
abrahamianum (1 mature tree)
02 02
Syzygium makul 10 10
Syzygium stocksii 10 10

9. Scientific Name
No of
seeds/
seedlings
Ready for
field planting
Syzygium palodense 1611 1500
Knema attenuata 155 100
Hopea parviflora 106 50
Aporosa cardiosperma 400 350
Total 2272 2000
Seeds Collected and Sowed
Buchanania barberi 4507
Myristica malabarica 573
Total 5080

10. Components Budget
allocated
Budget
utilized
Balance
Salaries 2,28,000 66,495 1,61,505
Casual labourers 1,50,000 58,557 91,443
Travel 70,000 2,125 67,875
Consumables 50,000 10,900 39,100
Infrastructure 2,40,000 committed 2,40,000
Contingency 28,400 2,450 25,950
Total 7,66,400 1,40,527 6,25,873

11. Highlights of the project at a glance
• Recruitment of a Project Assistant
• Construction of a mist/shade house is underway
• Produced 4426 seedlings including 2154 targetted
species.
• Collected 4507 Buchanania barberi seeds, 573 seeds
of Myristica malabarica
• Relocated Buchanania barberi from Nadayarai after
1904.

14. Gymnacranthera canarica seedlings
Buchanania barberi seedlings

15. Relocated Buchanania barberi near Nadayarai after 119 years (first collected in 1904)

18. Madhuca balakrishnanii- Only 2 trees remains

19. Syzygium caryophyllatum var abrahamianum:-
represented by

20. Cycas anaikalensis

21. Species Name Flowering
/Fruiting
Distributional districts
Buchanania abrahamiana E.S.S.
Kumar & Shareef
Nov-Apr Trivandrum (Palode Reserve
Forests and nearby areas)
Calophyllum apetalum Wild. Oct-Apr TVM, KLM,PTA,IDKY
(Agasthyamala Biosphere
Reserve, Periyar Tiger
Reserve, and other Wildlife
sanctuaries and National
Parks of Idukki)
Cycas anaikalensis Rita Singh &
P.Radha
?? PTA, IDKY (Forests of
Pathanamthitta and Idukki
districts)
Cynometra bourdillonii Gamble Feb-Aug TVM, KLM (Agathyamala
Biopshere Reserve)

22. Gymnacranthera canarica
(King)Warb
Mar-Aug TVM, KLM, IDKY, PTA
(Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve,
Periyar Tiger Reserve, and other
Wildlife sanctuaries and National
Parks of Idukki)
Humboldtia vahliana Wight Dec-Jul TVM, KLM, IDKY, PTA (Agasthyamala
Biosphere Reserve, Periyar Tiger
Reserve, and other Wildlife
sanctuaries and National Parks of
Idukki)
Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.)
Alston
Round the
year
TVM, KLM, IDKY, PTA (ABR, PTR and
other WLS and NPs of these
districts)
Syzygium makul Gaertn. Jan- May TVM, KLM (Agasthyamala
Biosphere Reserve)
Syzygium stocksii (Duthie)
Gamble
Mar - Jun TVM, KLM (Agasthyamala
Biosphere Reserve)

23. Expected Outcome
Species such as Buchanania abrahamiana,
Buchanania lanzan var palodensis, Madhuca
balakrishnanii and Syzygium caryophyllatum var.
abrahamianum are represented by 1-3 mature
trees in the whole world. Multiplication of these
tree saplings/seedlings will be saved the species
from extinction.

24. Expected Outcome
• The established seedlings will be managed at least for
two years in the plant nursery until to be distributed to
suitable stakeholders or to be planted in suitable habitats
of its range of distribution.
• Planting of seedlings into forest areas are subjected to
the approval from the authorities of Kerala Forest
Department.
• Several degraded sacred groves of southern Kerala are to
be enriched by planting with these seedlings, if their
further maintenance is to be borne by the authorities
concerned. Seedlings are to be distributed to the
schools/college gardens if they desired.