Bhojpatra Tree : Highlighted In ‘Mann ki Baat Programme
The Prime Minister of India, in 103rd edition of ‘Mann ki Baat programme highlighted the business of ‘bhojpatra calligraphy’ by the women of Mana village near Badrinath.
- Bhojpatra Tree also known as Himalayan Birch and it is widely found in the Himalayas.
- It is a deciduous tree native to the Western Himalayas that grows at elevations of up to 4,500 metres
- It has a high freezing tolerance potential, allowing it to form a treeline in the Himalayan region.
- It is a long-lived species which can survive up to 400 years and the only angiosperm in the Himalaya which dominates an extensive area at sub – alpine altitudes.
- It is widely distributed in the altitudinal range from 3100 – 3800 m in North-western Himalaya.
- It contributes to the preservation of the Himalayan ecosystem by reducing soil erosion and creating a bio-shield for the remaining forests and sub-alpine meadows below the treeline.
