WHY IN THE NEWS?

• India’s first ‘grass conservatory’ or ‘germplasm conservation centre’ spread over an area of 2 acres was inaugurated at Ranikhet in Almora district of Uttarakhand.
• This conservatory is funded under the Central Government’s CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) scheme and is developed by the research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department.
• To create awareness about the importance of grass species, promote their conservation, and facilitate research in the field.