Invasive plants a threat to lake
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CHITWAN, AUG 01 - Massive encroachment by invasive plant species has taken its toll on Beeshazari Taal, threatening the habitat of birds and aquatic creatures, say conservationists.
The lake, one of the Ram sites listed as internationally important wetland of the country, is a home to more than half population of birds found in Chitwan. Of total 865 bird species found across the country, more than 560 species are found in Chitwan alone. An interaction was organised here on Saturday to discuss about degrading state of the famous the lake by Mrigakunj Buffer-Zone User Group and Forum of Journalists of Eastern Chitwan.
Speaking at the function, Ganesh Pant, assistant chief warden of Chitwan National Park (CNP), said different organisations had launched clean up campaigns to rid the lake of invasive plants, but none of them gave continuation to the work. “There is no any long-term strategy for the sustainable management of the lake,” Pant said, adding, “The lake is turning into a grass field.”
The government and other stakeholders concerned have failed to come up with strong action for the conservation of the Ramsar Site, said Pant. Basu Bidari, chairperson of Bird Education Society, said the spread of plants species all over the lake’s surface has affected the survival aquatic life. “The existence of birds will be at risk if the lake continues to dry out,” he said.
“A few years ago visitors could see a clear reflection of nearby hills in the lake, but now it is even hard to see clear water surface,” Bidari said. According to Basudev Chapagain, coordinator of Beeshazari Taal Conservation Project funded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), US $ 50,000 was allocated last year for lake conservation and to launch capacity building programmes targeting the local communities. The District Development Committee, Chitwan, with the support from different organisations had also allocated two million rupees to clean the lake and weed out invasive plants last year.
Posted on: 2010-08-01 08:41
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