About Borjuli Wetland:
- Location: It is located in
- It is known for harbouring a disease and pest-resistant variety of wild rice known as Oryza rufipogon.
- Oryza rufipogon, is the progenitor of present-day cultivated rice, Oryza sativa.
- It is resistant to pests and diseases and can tolerate flooding and saline conditions, making it a valuable genetic resource for developing climate-resilient crop varieties.
- It is photosensitive in nature and flowers during short days during the months of November and December.
- The seeds have a tendency to shatter as soon as they mature.
Key facts about Biodiversity Heritage Site:
- BHS are unique ecosystems having rich biodiversity consisting of any one or more of the following components:
- Richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories.
- High endemism
- Presence of rare and threatened species, keystone species, and species of evolutionary significance.
- Wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or their varieties.
- Past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values and are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity, with or without a long history of human association with them.
- Under Section-37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the State Government, in consultation with local bodies, may notify areas of biodiversity importance as BHS.
- The purpose of declaring BHS is to enhance the quality of life of the local communities through the conservation of such sites.
- In 2007, the Nallur Tamarind Grove in Bengaluru, Karnataka, was designated as India’s first BHS.
