Biodiversity wealth forging well-being: a case of institutional herbal garden consolidating the biodiversity citizen science

Abstract

The institutional herbal garden for North East region (NER) of India was established in 2014 where-in medicinal and aromatic plant (MAPs) species were brought from different ecologies experienced differential survival. This triggered the participation of local citizens in developing the science of herbal biodiversity in this region. Consequently, MAPs were collected from the forest and farmers’ fields in different parts of NER. This resulted in better survival of the species from tropical to sub-temperate conditions of NER. Over eight years, 164 MAPs have been conserved in the herbal garden representing 60 families comprising herbs (84), shrubs (45), climbers (15), trees (15) and grasses (5). The herbal garden at Pasighat conserves over 50% of the species documented nationwide including nine of the threatened species of India. Thus, the herbal gardens endorsing citizen science is instru-mental for the widespread sharing of scientific expertise and stewardship on healing herbs.