HP’s first biodiversity park comes up at Mandi’s Bhulah valley

HP’s biodiversity park has been designed to link tourism activities along with providing new opportunities for researchers to conduct in-depth exploration of various medicinal herbs found in the Himalayas that are on the verge of extinction

Mandi’s Bhulah valley is ready to make its contribution towards the conservation of endangered Himalayan herbs as Himachal Pradesh’s first biodiversity park has been set up there at a cost of ₹1 crore, which would prove to be a boon for researchers as well as tourists.

A nature trail at the biodiveristy park at Mandi’s Janjehli in HP. (HT Photo)

Set up under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) by HP’s forest department, the park was one of the dream projects of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur. The park has been designed to link tourism activities along with providing new opportunities for researchers to conduct in-depth exploration of various medicinal herbs found in the Himalayas that are on the verge of extinction.

A herbal nursery to conserve herbs that are about to extinct in the mountains has also been set up in the park, which has trillidium govanianum (Nagchhatri), dhoop, picrorhiza kurroa, sarpagandha, swertia chirayita, barbari plant and many similar herbs and shrubs on display.

Two log huts, a water harvesting structure, an internal tank, a 5KW power generation project, bird nests, and a sales centre have been set up at the biodiversity park as well. (HT Photo)

Two log huts, a water harvesting structure, an internal tank, a 5KW power generation project, bird nests, and a sales centre have been set up at the biodiversity park as well. (HT Photo)

Two log huts, a water harvesting structure, an internal tank, a 5KW power generation project, bird nests, and a sales centre have been set up at the biodiversity park as well. (HT Photo)

Any research scholar from the country or abroad can avail information about the herbs to conduct research work. In this herbal nursery, about 1,200 plants of different species are available. This fenced park has been built on five hectares. Various basic facilities have also been mobilised here for researchers.

Two tree huts have also been prepared for tourists, from where they can enjoy the picturesque view of the park. Nature trails of about 2km and a 25ft high and 160-metre-long tree walk have also been prepared along with seven footbridges.

In its endeavour to make Himachal the most-preferred destination for tourists, many initiatives have been taken by the state government. This biodiversity park is a part of the HP government’s scheme to explore the tourism potential of lesser-known areas of the state.