A healthcare professional from Kerala has conserved a collection of 200 wild orchids native to the Western Ghats. Each weekend, V U Sabu, residing in Ambalavayal village within the Wayanad district of Kerala, sets out on an expedition to the Western Ghats.
Conserving Wild Orchids
Wayanad is a tourism district.
This endeavor is not for leisure but is driven by a mission to protect wild orchids.
Wild orchids, renowned for their beauty, emit a delightful fragrance and carry considerable impor
tance in the fields of medicine and horticulture.
These orchids play a crucial role in climate control and biodiversity maintenance.
The flowers are the indicators of ecosystem health and they don՚t thrive in polluted air.
Over the past few decades, there has been a decrease in the population of wild orchids in the hilly
landscapes of the Western Ghats.
V U Sabu decided to pursue conservation as a hobby in 2016 venturing into the forest for collecting
and protecting wild orchids.
He started his own approach for collecting, conserving, and augmenting these plants despite lacking
agricultural expertise.
Method and Replantation
He employs a technique that includes gathering wild orchids from tree trunks, water streams, rocks,
and crevices.
He comprehensively grasps their growth conditions, nurtures, and propagates them in his home gar
den, and subsequently reintroduces them near the original plant without causing any harm.
The meticulous documentation of the plant՚s development is also a crucial aspect of this process.
To date, he has accomplished the successful reintroduction of approximately 200 diverse wild orchid
The preservation of wild orchids poses challenges due to their specific growth requirements.
Approximately 40% of the wild orchids gathered thrive on trees and necessitate protection from in
tense sunlight and heavy rainfall.
Affixing them to a coconut tree is referred to as the ‘crown tree. ’
The remaining orchids, collected near water bodies or beneath rocks, are cultivated in pots.
The propagation of these wild orchids in the garden spans from eight months to two years.
Once these orchids are transplanted back into their natural habitat, their progress is monitored
closely for at least six months to ensure their well-being.
The restored orchids exhibit a remarkable 90% survival rate
Sabu is regularly invited for training farmers who practice floriculture in the district. He is the go-to
person for any information on orchids.
A map of wild orchids has also been developed in the Western Ghats, along with the database that is
shared with the agricultural institutes and researchers.
Over 20 institutions have sent more than 5,000 research students and botanists to V U Sabu՚s home,
which has transformed into a sanctuary for those eager to study wild orchids.
Farmers in Europe
On January 15, farmers in Berlin, Germany, took to the streets with their tractors,
blocking traffic to
protest the government՚s intention to eliminate tax breaks on the diesel they rely on.
This demonstration came after a week of farmers obstructing highways and impeding the flow of traf
fic throughout the nation.
The German government, in December, declared its intention to eliminate the diesel tax break as a
component of its strategies to address budgetary shortfalls for the upcoming year.
In response to farmer protests against this decision, the government softened the proposal in early
January.
Presently, farmers are insisting that the plan be entirely abandoned.
Protests erupted in France and Romania as well among farmers in the month.
Romanian farmers, motivated by concerns over high taxes, diesel prices, and inadequate compensa
tion, took to blocking roads in early January, placing these issues at the forefront of their agenda.
Wayanad is a tourism district.
This endeavor is not for leisure but is driven by a mission to protect wild orchids.
Wild orchids, renowned for their beauty, emit a delightful fragrance and carry considerable impor
tance in the fields of medicine and horticulture.
These orchids play a crucial role in climate control and biodiversity maintenance.
The flowers are the indicators of ecosystem health and they don՚t thrive in polluted air.
Over the past few decades, there has been a decrease in the population of wild orchids in the hilly
landscapes of the Western Ghats.
V U Sabu decided to pursue conservation as a hobby in 2016 venturing into the forest for collecting
and protecting wild orchids.
He started his own approach for collecting, conserving, and augmenting these plants despite lacking
agricultural expertise.
Method and Replantation
He employs a technique that includes gathering wild orchids from tree trunks, water streams, rocks,
and crevices.
He comprehensively grasps their growth conditions, nurtures, and propagates them in his home gar
den, and subsequently reintroduces them near the original plant without causing any harm.
The meticulous documentation of the plant՚s development is also a crucial aspect of this process.
To date, he has accomplished the successful reintroduction of approximately 200 diverse wild orchid
The preservation of wild orchids poses challenges due to their specific growth requirements.
Approximately 40% of the wild orchids gathered thrive on trees and necessitate protection from in
tense sunlight and heavy rainfall.
Affixing them to a coconut tree is referred to as the ‘crown tree. ’
The remaining orchids, collected near water bodies or beneath rocks, are cultivated in pots.
The propagation of these wild orchids in the garden spans from eight months to two years.
Once these orchids are transplanted back into their natural habitat, their progress is monitored
closely for at least six months to ensure their well-being.
The restored orchids exhibit a remarkable 90% survival rate
Sabu is regularly invited for training farmers who practice floriculture in the district. He is the go-to
person for any information on orchids.
A map of wild orchids has also been developed in the Western Ghats, along with the database that is
shared with the agricultural institutes and researchers.
Over 20 institutions have sent more than 5,000 research students and botanists to V U Sabu՚s home,
which has transformed into a sanctuary for those eager to study wild orchids.
Farmers in Europe
On January 15, farmers in Berlin, Germany, took to the streets with their tractors,
blocking traffic to
protest the government՚s intention to eliminate tax breaks on the diesel they rely on.
This demonstration came after a week of farmers obstructing highways and impeding the flow of traf
fic throughout the nation.
The German government, in December, declared its intention to eliminate the diesel tax break as a
component of its strategies to address budgetary shortfalls for the upcoming year.
In response to farmer protests against this decision, the government softened the proposal in early
January.
Presently, farmers are insisting that the plan be entirely abandoned.
Protests erupted in France and Romania as well among farmers in the month.
Romanian farmers, motivated by concerns over high taxes, diesel prices, and inadequate compensa
tion, took to blocking roads in early January, placing these issues at the forefront of their agenda.