Giant Trees for Climate Change Mitigation in India

Dear Supporter,

It has started raining in the Western Ghats mountains. You may be aware that Western Ghats - a global biodiversity hotspot are also called water towers of India. In other words, these mountains receive heavey rains due to their unique geographical location- near the west coast of India. Rains create myriads of changes and bringing to life many unique and amazing species. One of those life forms are ephemerals or plants that live for a very short period and wait for favorable conditions- mostly rains- to reproduce. Orchids belong to this cateogory of plants. 

Our field team during the survey of species that grow as response to monsoon rains such as fungi, pteridophytes, bryophytes, came across a species of orchid called as Butterfly orchid ( Porpax jerdoniana). Interestingly, this species of orchid is endemic to the Western Ghats and has been categorized as Vulnerable in the IUCN's Red list of species. Importantly, this orchid was seen growing profusely on a giant tree of Terminalia bellirica that we are saving with your support. Giant trees create lot of opportunities for small plants and mosses to grow on their body and thus provide excellent habitat and conditions for orchids to grow 

This is one more example of how giant trees help tiny wonders of nature thrive and succeed. 

The above example provides an important evidence for the fact that your continuous support to this unique initiave is indeed conserving globally threatened species.

Thank you very much.