Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 8 (ANI): In a major step towards securing the future of Assam's endangered grassland ecosystems, the State's first dedicated grass nursery was inaugurated at Bansbari Range of Manas National Park.

Developed over an area of approximately 1 hectare (7.5 bigha) with financial support from State CAMPA, the nursery will serve as a long-term seed source for grassland restoration and expansion across Manas and other protected areas of Assam.

The nursery was inaugurated by Vinay Gupta, IFS, PCCF (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam on Sunday, in the presence of Suman Mohapatra, IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, H Rajamohan, IFS, Field Director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (Uttar Pradesh), C Ramesh, IFS, Field Director, Manas Tiger Reserve, T Sheshidhar Reddy, IFS, Deputy Director, Manas Tiger Reserve, and other senior forest officials.

A total of 16 species of native grasses were collected from different habitats within Manas beginning in November 2025 and raised in specially prepared nursery beds.

C Ramesh, IFS, Field Director, Manas Tiger Reserve, said that the nursery was established in May 2026 and is expected to play a critical role in supporting large-scale ecological restoration efforts.

'The initiative comes at a crucial time for Manas. Recent assessments indicate that the reserve has lost over 60 per cent of its historical grassland cover during the last three and a half decades. Grasslands that once covered approximately 384 sq. km (45% of the landscape) in 1990 have declined to about 155 sq. km (18%) today, primarily due to invasive species, woodland encroachment, altered river dynamics and prolonged interruption of habitat management in earlier decades,' Dr C Ramesh said.

He further said that these alluvial grasslands form the ecological backbone of Manas and support globally threatened wildlife, including the Pygmy Hog, Bengal Florican, Hispid Hare, One-horned Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo, Swamp Deer, Asian Elephant and Tiger. It is estimated that nearly 6 sq. km of grassland is lost annually, underscoring the urgent need for restoration interventions.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vinay Gupta, IFS, CWLW (Assam) stated that restoration of grasslands is among the highest conservation priorities for Manas National Park.

'The newly established grass nursery will ensure a sustainable supply of native grass species required for habitat restoration, invasive species management and recovery of critical wildlife habitats,' he said.

The initiative marks another important milestone in Manas' ongoing efforts to restore one of Asia's most important riverine grassland ecosystems and secure the ecological integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for future generations. (ANI)