Many of the species recovery programs in India have traditionally been animal centric, eg. for tiger (Project Tiger), gharial, elephant (Project Elephant), Gir Lions, Primates etc. Although, the Convention on Biological Diversity, of which India is a signatory, specially provides for identification of red listed species and their recovery. But, minimum efforts were given for the recovery programme of RED listed plants.
I agree with Liu's main argument. I do think that there are a large number of things that are so important, and we just do not bother about them. In India, the countervailing power with intelligentsia is little. At the most power vests in media. Otherwise, all power is with the bureaucracy and the government agencies. We have a lot of semi-literate people there or people obsessed with bureaucratic rationality or self aggrandizement. I have observed that we in India as a nation are not futuristic at all. We just bother about the present. And, we learn geology the morning after the earthquake!
Unfortunately we bother about it when its closer to extinction.
Other countries have been quite progressive in research on aspects such as plant antimicrobials and yoga in health, which was primarily of Indian Importance.
I agree with Liu's main argument. I do think that there are a large number of things that are so important, and we just do not bother about them. In India, the countervailing power with intelligentsia is little. At the most power vests in media. Otherwise, all power is with the bureaucracy and the government agencies. We have a lot of semi-literate people there or people obsessed with bureaucratic rationality or self aggrandizement. I have observed that we in India as a nation are not futuristic at all. We just bother about the present. And, we learn geology the morning after the earthquake!
India is already initiated several co-ordinate projects through its ministries to conserve RET plant species all over the country, especially in the Western ghat hot spots and Himalayan regions. But the currently initiated projects which are need to boost up to undertake conservation strategies to preserve its richest flora.
If one feels strongly about something like this with potential for national impact, and has a work plan for execution, it is possible to write grants and obtain funding to initiate projects to do something about it. Funding agencies like National Biodiversity Authority, Ministry of Environment & Forests, and even Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India, consider such grant proposals for funding projects with novel, doable ideas. Even private funding agencies come forward sometimes. Good luck!
I agree with all the comments above. Also, human psychology is involved,wherein the average person identifies more with an animal than with a plant, and hence is more likely to support animal conservation. Maybe thats why WWF has a panda as a logo, instead of some equally endangered plant. But given thats the psychological scenario, conservation is now shifting from a preocupation with single species to entire ecosystems. That would be the best approach to protect entire communities, both flora and fauna, an old approach no doubt (like sacred forests). However, this requires cataloguoing what species and communities exist, their interrelationships and links with abiotic factors. Protecting ecosystems also has the benefit of availing ecosystem, services, such as water availability and quality, that can be used to gain wider support for conservation than just a few bleeding hearts for charismatic animals.
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