The bigger picture !

Our living systems worldwide are in jeopardy. Living systems include Our Rivers, our oceans, our soil, our food, our water, our healthcare system, our education system, our economy, our ecological processes, our bio diversity, our politics and our belief systems. We have been conditioned to consume and possess more and more and making it a sole purpose of human life. Most of the problems societies and individuals today face, right from day to day problems like traffic jams, polluted cities - air - rivers - oceans, ever increasing waste, ever increasing degenerative - psychological - allergic diseases - job dis-satisfactions... to the larger problems like unworthy medicine - health - pharma and food industry, greedy education system which is designed to produce more consumers and workers and promoting mono-cultures of mind, ever increasing inequality, clear failure of ‘trickle down’ economic theory, peak oils, climate change, species extinctions & ecological collapse. The root cause of all these problems happen to be the same - It is the development model which we have embraced. The whole idea of development revolves around limitless GDP growth and maximization of profits by selling more and more stuff and promoting consumption.The same idea is manifested on personal level: acquiring and possessing more and more stuff and towards achievement and maximization of materialistic comforts and enjoyment. But we live on finite planet. Unlimited growth on planet with the physical limits is impossible, but we are obsessed with the idea of growth and more stuff.

Even the Idea of ‘Development’ itself is very superficial which focuses only on material well being and that becomes sole purpose of human life, everyone is running in a rat race of maximization of consumption and confusing it with success and purpose of life. Purpose of human life is not that unworthy. ‘Development’ has a deeper meaning on Individual and on society or nation or planet level. Purpose of human life is the evolution of all dimensions of human existence like physical (i.e. health), emotional, intellectual, psychological and spiritual. Purpose is to find your unique gift and its creative expression and expansion of your consciousness. Thats the real meaning of development on individual level.
Now thinking in terms of system, if we consider human as a basic unit of Earth as a one system. All humans are subsystems of community, all communities are subsystems of nation and nations are subsystems of planet. In nature, every subsystem works for the advancement and evolution of its super-system. Meaning if any subsystem evolves or makes development, the super-system also evolves. e.g. If a plant grows forest also evolves.
But in the current development model, ‘development’ of Individual is hampering society as it increases inequality and uneven distribution of resources. Development of human communities hampers and restricts the evolution of Nature. Which makes this model highly unsustainable because the advancement of subsystems is killing their super-systems.


Material well being is off-course necessary for survival but its just an instrument not the final destination.

Tracing back into history for the reasons of such disastrous concept of progress, we find that, the very idea that humans are separate from each other and non-human beings and rest of the universe is at the root of everything.
I am focusing on both, problem and solution sides. Problems which are mentioned and the solutions which could be anything from personal to universal levels like alternative economic models, going off grid, chemical free living, conscious consumption, life cycle assessment of products, up cycling of products, natural farming, permaculture, biological conservation, ecological restoration, paradigm shift etc.

Plantation guide for Indian climate , specially for deccan plateau !

Which plants should be selected for plantation drive?

Hi all, with the arrival of rainy season, many Nature lovers either groups or individuals will carry out Plantation programs/activities. These are some guidelines which should be considered. It is always advised to promote Native species for plantation; and to avoid suggesting Non-native /exotic species. Here are the reasons:

1.       Exotic species are those plant species, which are not native to a particular area. These species have been introduced by human activities to a location where they do not naturally occur and so they are termed "exotic", "non-indigenous", "non-native" or simply "alien". The exotics threaten to alter the natural composition of forest; they restrict, prey on or compete with native populations and disrupt the integrity of site. They are major ecological threat. Some research suggests that the plant inhibits the growth of other plants in its vicinity.

2.       Non-native trees may not adapt completely to local ecology and cannot support the local biodiversity which includes local birds, local insects, bacteria, fungi etc. E.g. Indian/local birds do not build their nests on trees like Gulmohr, rain tree, Nilgiri (Except crow). Nilgiri’s leaf litter takes major time to biodegrade as the required bacteria’s are not present in Indian soil. No other vegetation could grow beneath Nilgiri. On the other hand, Native plants always support other vegetation and biodiversity. 

3.       Some of the non-native species cause ecological problems; they are termed as "invasive" or "harmful exotic species". Many times they turn out into a weed. Such species primarily invades disturbed habitats, degraded forests / thickets and left out or fallow fields crowding out native vegetation of upland forests, forming single species stands. For Example: In India, once introduced, the species like Lantana camara (Tantani) becomes invasive and slowly suppresses the growth of original vegetation. Once it starts flowering and fruiting, the seeds spread over a large area and germinate very fast. Then it becomes very difficult to eradicate them. Some of them are prolific seed producers. One can observe many such examples like Australian Acacia, Gliricidia spp. and Leucaena leucophyla (Subabhul). They start growing easily from the cut stump.  

4.       We should consider whole ecology for conservation. Everything has a special role in ecosystem. Trees, shrubs, grasses, birds, bacteria, fungi - everything plays very important role in local ecology; even the leaf litter which we generally term “Kachara” and burn away, provides important nutrient to plants, after its decomposition and natural cover to the soil keeping moisture maintained. Human have not yet explored the co-relation in all the forms of life; till date Human has done lots of interfere in nature. We do not have right to disturb natural vegetation by introducing foreign species, just because of anthropocentric benefits.  Trees are the base of ecology, as they provide food and habitat to other biodiversity.  We should not promote trees based on their aesthetic or fuel values but choice should be based on study of local-reference-natural ecosystem. If such study is not possible, we should/we can at least avoid planting non-native trees.

5.       Most of the countries have very stringent rules about use of Native trees for plantation. E.g. Australia has very strict rules when it comes to quarantine. We r not allowed to bring in any plants, seeds, roots, wooden pieces even dirt from our shoes and slippers is removed sometimes. I hope Indian government wakes up before we loose our native species and be taken over by non-native trees and plants.

6.       We should and we can also avoid monoculture of one particular specie – meaning - Diversity should be preferred. Different trees develops different ecosystem giving rise to overall biodiversity.

7.       Ideally, before plantation, one should first study nearest Natural ecosystem and list the naturally occurring species and same species should be planted. Most of the exotic/non-native samplings are easily available in local nurseries because of their popularity, But when demand for natives will grow, their availability shall also grow.

Please note the following list of non-native trees which should not be promoted for plantation.

1.       Gulmohr (Delonix Regia)

2.       Rain tree (Albizia saman) (Mistakenly also called Shirish, Shirish perhaps is a local variety and best alternative to Rain tree)

3.       Nilgiri (Eucalyptus)

4.       Gliricidia

5.       SUbabhul (Leucaena leucocephala)

6.       Pink Cassia

7.       Australian Acacia

8.       Casurina

9.       Silver oak

10.   Spathodia

11.   Cassia spp

12.   Mahogany

Following are the native alternatives for Non-native trees

There are some common trees all over India which are easy to plant and can be made available in the market: 

1. Satwin/saptparni (Alstonia scholaris)
2.  Kadamba (Neolamarckia cadamba)
3.  Phanas/Jackfruit (Artocarpus hetrophyllus)
4. Wad/Indian Banyan/Bargad (Ficus Benghalensis)
5. Sair/Kate Sawar/ Semal/Shalmali (Bombax Ceiba or Bombax malabaricum)
6. Palas/Palash/ Muthuga /Porasum (Butea monosperma)
7. Bherli Maad (Caryota urens: Note: there are many other false varieties available, beware of the right one)
8. Bahava/ Amaltaas/Kakke/ Konrai/raela/garmalo (Cassia Fistula)
9. Pangara (Indian Coral tree)
10. Umbar/ Oudumbar (Ficus recemosa)
11. Nandruk (Ficus microcarpa)
12. Pimpal (Ficus religiosa)
13. Bondara/Tamhan (Lagerstroemia flos reginae)
14. Bhend/ Indian tulip tree(Thespesia populanea)
15. Amba/Mango (Mangifera indica)
16. Sonchaapha (Michelia champaca: Please note that Plumeria/dev-chapha)
17. Bakul (Mimusops elengi)
18. Chinch/Imali (Tamarindus indica)
19. Sita – Ashok / Vanjulam (Saraca asoca/saraca Indica – And not Polyalthia Longifolia which is mistakenly known as Ashoka)
20. Jambhul/Jamun (Syzygium cuminii)
21. KaduNimbm/ Neem tree (Azadirecta indica)