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A Kutch-based non-profit is planting Khara and Mitha Guggal across five villages to restore native medicinal heritage and biodiversity on community grazing lands.
Supported by partner foundations and nurseries, the project combines in-situ conservation with habitat restoration, aiming to revive rare species, improve ecosystem health and strengthen local stewardship of Gaucharlands.
A Kutch-based non-profit has undertaken plantation of two important native Guggal species —Khara Guggal (Commiphora wightii) and Mitha Guggal (Commiphora stocksiana)—across five villages of the Gujarat district in a step towards restoring native biodiversity and strengthening the ecological value of community grazing lands.
Pankaj Joshi and Team from Nature Foundation, with support from Suzlon Foundation (SuCharagah Project) and saplings from Reladi Medicinal Plants Board Nursery, undertook plantation of the two species, according to a statement.
The initiative is being implemented in the Gaucharland (grazing commons) restoration programme covering Anandsar, Laxmipar, Bhadali, Ukheda and Virani Nani, spread across Bhuj, Nakhatrana and Mandvi talukas (subdistricts).
Under the programme, 250 Mitha Guggal and 500 Khara Guggal saplings have been planted in each village, resulting in a total of 1,250 Mitha Guggal and 2,500 Khara Guggal saplings across the five villages. The plantation forms part of a broader ecological restoration approach aimed at bringing back native vegetation, improving habitat quality and increasing the biodiversity value of community lands.
The choice of Guggal is particularly significant for Kutch. Commiphora stocksiana, locally known as Mitha Guggal, has a restricted distribution in Kutch and is an important species for conservation. The programme therefore combines in-situ conservation with habitat restoration, helping establish important native medicinal plants within their natural landscape.
Alongside the Guggal plantation, 50 Satavari (Asparagus racemosus) saplings have also been planted in each village. The restoration programme further includes seven species of native grasses, including saline- and drought-resistant species, along with seeds of more than 10 native tree and shrub species. This diversified approach is intended to develop a functioning native ecosystem rather than a conventional monoculture plantation.
A key component of the initiative is active participation of local communities. Village residents, women’s groups and local youth are being involved in discussions and field activities related to the importance of Gaucharlands, native vegetation, medicinal plants and biodiversity conservation.
School students are also being brought into the programme through specially developed Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on Gaucharland restoration, native and rare, endangered and threatened (RET) biodiversity, grasses, medicinal plants and the ecological services provided by community lands. The objective is to help the younger generation understand that Gaucharlands are not simply open grazing spaces, but important ecosystems supporting livestock, grasses, wildlife, pollinators, soil health, groundwater recharge and local livelihoods.
The programme also plans educational and exposure visits to the restored Gaucharlands involving village communities, women’s groups, youth and school students. These visits will provide an opportunity to observe the establishment of Guggal, Satavari, native grasses and other indigenous species in the field and to understand the gradual process of ecological restoration.
According to the team, the approach is based on the principle that Gaucharland restoration should recreate an ecosystem, not merely increase the number of planted trees. Native grasses provide forage and ground cover, shrubs and trees create shelter and habitat, while medicinal plants add ecological as well as potential livelihood value.
The involvement of Suzlon Foundation, Nature Foundation team, Reladi Medicinal Plants Board Nursery, village communities, women’s groups, youth and educational institutions creates a collaborative model in which conservation is linked with awareness, local participation and long-term stewardship.
The initiative also aims to revive awareness of Kutch’s traditional medicinal flora. Species such as Guggal have deep associations with traditional knowledge and local culture, while their ecological importance makes their conservation increasingly relevant in the face of habitat degradation, grazing pressure and changing climatic conditions.
The five-village initiative therefore represents a broader vision for Kutch: restoring degraded common lands with locally appropriate native species while conserving rare medicinal plants, strengthening grassland biodiversity and involving the communities who depend upon these landscapes.
The restoration team along with respective village panchayats and Suzlon Foundation plans to continue monitoring the restored sites and supporting the establishment of native grasses, shrubs and trees. Regular community and school visits will further help build a sense of ownership among local stakeholders and encourage them to become long-term custodians of the restored Gaucharlands.
The message is simple: restoring Kutch’s gaucharlands is not only about planting trees—it is about bringing back native biodiversity, conserving medicinal plant heritage, strengthening rural ecosystems and creating a new generation of local conservation stewards.
