Earth is not something we take from our ancestors; we borrow it from our future generation. This perspective, makes conserving Nature a responsibility for all us, isn’t it?
Nature conservation can be efficiently achieved only by having more awareness about the biodiversity and the ecosystem around us. As part of the awareness program we want to focus more on our locality and the greatness of nature we have around us.
People from villages around Western Tamilnadu might have heard of this term 'Korangadu' a healthy-but-called-‘wasted’ land which is rich in bio-diversity and said to be of great value. ‘Korangadu’ is not uncommon in western Tamil Nadu, many might know about it even.
Korangadu is recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by Food and Agriculture Organization of the ...more ↓
Earth is not something we take from our ancestors; we borrow it from our future generation. This perspective, makes conserving Nature a responsibility for all us, isn’t it?
Nature conservation can be efficiently achieved only by having more awareness about the biodiversity and the ecosystem around us. As part of the awareness program we want to focus more on our locality and the greatness of nature we have around us.
People from villages around Western Tamilnadu might have heard of this term 'Korangadu' a healthy-but-called-‘wasted’ land which is rich in bio-diversity and said to be of great value. ‘Korangadu’ is not uncommon in western Tamil Nadu, many might know about it even.
Korangadu is recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Yes! It is one among several such heritage sites across the world. We have 10 GIAHS sites in India including Korangadu, Cattamaran Fishing, Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System etc., (To know more)
Below is the exact wording used for defining Korangadu in the GIAHS website:
Korangadu is a traditional grazing land in the semiarid tract in the districts of Erode, Karur and Dindigul in the Tamil Nadu state of Southern India. Korangadu grasslands are managed on sound management practices tested over hundreds of years. The paddocks are a typical combination of grasses, legumes and trees, fenced with live thorny shrubs.
Korangadu is known as the breeding tract of “Kangeyam” cattle, which supply good quality plough and draught bullocks, local buffaloes and native breeds of sheep (“Mayilambadi” breed) and goats. However, the maintenance of these unique breeds and the sustainable traditional grassland management practices are now threatened by several factors, and above all by the lack of awareness of how the region benefits from this system.
Korangadu graze land is mostly owned by farmers and is fenced with a shrub called 'Mullu Kiluavai' also known as 'Kiluvai Maram' (Commiphora berryi / Balsamodendron Berryi). Recently the korangadu land coverage has dropped signficantly most of them being converted into cultivable land for cultivating cotton, coconut, amla, mango etc.,. I feel nostalgic when I think of me and my friends playing in our korangadu graze land, catching butterflies and ponvandu (Jewel beetle) while taking our herd of kangayam cows to graze there. Falling down riding the buffaloes, thereby using crushed “orambu poodu” as medicine for the bruises.
Now, I really feel bad for not being able to conserve a heritage system that we lost just for a silly reason being lack of awareness. We are not only just losing Korangadu, We are losing an ecosystem. We have lost buffaloes and native breeds like Kangayam cows in exchange for Jersey cows. Yes, Under British rule Jerseys were transported to India and cross bred with Asian breeds to increase the quantity of milk produced by domestic breeds. People ignored native breeds for jersey for just the economic value behind that, Which again is broader topic for discussion. I still remember, back in those days ,most of the farmers used to have native breeds only. But, We have very few who still have native Kangayam breed among others. Now it is difficult for me to find a jewel beetle for next generation of kids to play with. In Villages it is difficult to find species that are part of korangadu ecosystem, what we see is useless weeds like Parthenium etc.,
There are lot of species and ecosystem we are losing like Korangadu. As we journey through the 21st Century, it is high time; we join hands to overcome the deficit of empathy to conserve the ecosystem of Mother Nature, from which we ruthlessly take all things for granted.!
Other species that are part of Korangadu ecosystem are (Tamil Name / Scientific Name): [Source:http://www.sevango.in/coping_animal.pdf]
- Velamaram Tree / Acacia leucophloea
- Kolukottai Grass / Cenchrus ciliaris
- Vennampul / Trachys muricata
- Ottanpul / Seltaria Vericulata
- Kurutupul / Cholris barbata
- Cholapul / Chrysopogon montanus
- Naripayathankodi / Phaseolus trilobus
- Seppunerinji / Indigofera enneaphylla
- Savarikodi / Merremia tridentate
- Poonapudukukodi / Crotalaria globosa
- Nathai Choori / Borreria hispida (Googling found this intersting link about research on using this herb for cancer treatment )
- Arugampul / Cynodon dactylon
- Hadupudukanam / Rhynchosia rufescens (http://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/259456)
Resources:
- Excerpt of GIAHS sites in India - http://mrunal.org/2012/09/enb-giahs.html
- Korangadu - http://www.dry-net.org/index.php?page=3&successstoryId=2
- http://www.fao.org/giahs/giahs-sites/south-east-asia/korangadu-silvo-pastoral-management-system-tamil-nadu-india/en/
- http://www.sevango.in/coping_animal.pdf
- http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/130324/news-current-affairs/article/largest-%E2%80%98grass%E2%80%99land-no-more-green-shrinking
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