Three months after the onset of monsoon, the usually barren looking brown land on the laterite plateaus of Goa transforms into a flourishing ecosystem with colourful flowers and even insectivorous plants.
To get participants especially youngsters
closer to nature at the plateaus. Botanical Society of Goa will organise a
Plateau Biodiversity Awareness Walk with Dr Ashish Prabhugaonkar on the theme
‘Learn about biodiversity of lateritic plateau’s of Western Ghats’ at Soccorro
Plateau on September 11 from 9 am to 12 pm. Participants should assemble near
Our Lady of Succour Church.
From the months of August and September,
the flowers at the plateau are in full bloom and the best time to explore and
learn more about the biodiversity. Within the first few weeks of rains, the
brown plateaus shows hues of green as grass covers the land and water starts
collecting in little puddles on the rocks. With over a 100 species of flower
plants, these in turn bloom inviting more insects and animals, creating a new
ecosystem every year.
Assistant professor in Botany, Department of Botany, Dhempe
College of Arts and Science, Miramar, Dr Prabhugoankar was also a part of the
team who identified Dipcadi goaense species for the first time in the world at
Kevona Plateau in Quepem. Dr Prabhugoankar explains, “This is the time when the
flowers are in full bloom. Otherwise, people consider these places as barren.
Research has shown that lateritic plateau of Western Ghats are unique habitats,
rich in endemic and threatened species. However, politicians and people are not
ready to accept findings. Bringing awareness in society is the only way to
conserve the ecosystem.”
Many laterite plateaus of Goa are threatened by quarrying,
mining, and even construction for development. “We are fast losing plateaus in
Goa. We lost a large plateau to Mopa Airport. Many species of flora are unique
to lateritic plateau, they are ephemeral in nature. They complete their life
cycle in four months of the rainy season. Their habitat is threatened as they
are considered barren in public perception. Most lands are easily diverted for
so called development and housing projects without understanding the importance
of the biodiversity they encompass,” says Dr Prabhugaonkar, who is a student of
Dr M K Janarthanam of Goa University and Prof S R Yadav of Kolhapur University.
In Goa, large plateaus include Kadamba plateau, Kundaim plateau,
Revora plateau, Tivim plateau, Mulgao plateau, Rivona plateau, Kevona plateau,
Bhutkhamb plateau of Savoi Verem and Bhagvati, Madditolop plateaus of Canacona.
Drosera and Utricularia are insectivorus plants found on lateritic plateau.
Prof Alvito D’Silva from Pomburpa lives just downhill from the
Socorro plateau and will be guiding the participants on Sunday as Dr
Prabhugaonkar will identify and explain the plants. As an executive committee
member of Botanical Society of Goa, he has been trying to encourage young
adults to get closer to nature. “This year, the monsoon was subdued and we are
hoping it will get active again and we can extend our activities. We recently
did a trek to the Socorro plateau for students and teachers of St Elizabeth
High School in Pomburpa. I had to repeat the trek because the participants were
more than we could manage. We need to sensitise the society of the rich
biodiversity in Goa, especially the plateau which features nearly 200 species
of birds as documented by Savio Fonseca. Through these awareness programmes, we
have to secure our plateaus for the next generation,” says Prof Alvito D’Silva.
Miguel
Braganza, Secretary of Botanical Society of Goa, explains the progress of how
the plants grow every year on the plateau. “The plants grow in the water that
is stagnated or trapped in the rocks. If there is one plant for ten square
metres then there are chances of the plant surviving and growing next year. The
Socorro plateau covers nearly one and a half lakh square metres. With all the
industrial estates and now housing taking over barren land, it is important to
preserve the biodiversity on these plateaus,” says Braganza.