First native grass nursery in western Maharashtra yields encouraging results

Hindustan Times

14-07-2025

The first-ever dedicated native grass nursery in Western Maharashtra is now flourishing in Gulunche village, located in Purandar tehsil of Pune district. What began as a modest ecological restoration initiative one and a half years ago has blossomed into a thriving hub of native flora, offering new hope for the revival of degraded grassland ecosystems in the semi-arid regions of the state. It is spearheaded by The Grasslands Trust in collaboration with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and the Pune district administration. (HT)
Established in January 2024, the nursery was envisioned as a critical component of a long-term, science-driven grassland management program. It is spearheaded by The Grasslands Trust in collaboration with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and the Pune district administration.
The project, rooted in the heart of Purandar's semi-arid agro-climatic zone, is already showcasing tangible results. The nursery currently houses over 28,000 grass saplings across two structured enclosures and maintains a seedbank of 8,000 mature saplings, which serve as both a genetic reservoir and planting stock for restoration efforts. Plans are already underway to expand this seedbank to accommodate an additional 24,000 saplings in the coming months.
Native grasses such as Cenchrus ciliaris (Anjan), Dicanthium annulatum (Marvel), and Sehima sulcatum (Pavanya), once common across the Deccan plateau, are now reclaiming soil where fertility had been eroded by decades of overgrazing and land degradation. Other species nurtured in the nursery include Chrysopogon fulvus (Dongri), Sehima nervosum (Sheda), Dichanthium foveolatum (Lohkhandi), as well as native tree species like Senegalia catechu (Khair) and Vachellia leucophloea (Hivar). Each of these plays a specific ecological role, ranging from enhancing soil fertility and controlling erosion to providing critical forage for herbivores like chinkara and blackbuck.
What sets the Gulunche nursery apart is its community-driven model. Locals, including women and landless farmers, are deeply involved in every stage of the restoration process, right from seed collection and nursery maintenance to transplanting and post-plantation care. This participatory approach not only brings ecological benefits but also promotes socio-economic inclusion, offering livelihoods and skill-building opportunities to communities who have historically been marginalised in conservation dialogues.
'Restoring native grasslands is not just about growing grass—it is about restoring entire ecosystems,' says Mihir Godbole, founder and trustee of The Grasslands Trust.
'These landscapes support rural economies, provide habitats for endangered wildlife, and act as natural infrastructure to combat climate change. The success we are seeing in Gulunche is proof that ecological restoration can be both science-led and community-anchored,' he said.
One of the project's major milestones came last year, when the team—backed by the Suzlon Foundation—successfully transplanted 45,000 grass saplings across a 5-hectare pilot plot. This year, they plan to scale up further by planting another 33,000 saplings and seedballs in an adjoining 5-hectare tract. The increase in scale reflects not only the confidence the team has built through data and field results but also the rising interest from environmental organisations and policy stakeholders.
The nursery's work is reinforced by quarterly monitoring surveys to assess parameters like vegetation density, root development, soil moisture content, and biodiversity indices. Preliminary findings from these assessments indicate that plots restored with native grasses show improved soil structure, enhanced water retention, and signs of returning biodiversity—a clear indication that native species are better adapted to the local environment and more resilient to climate fluctuations than exotic alternatives.
Despite their immense ecological and economic value, grasslands remain one of India's most overlooked ecosystems, often dismissed as wastelands in both land-use planning and conservation policy. Yet, these ecosystems serve as critical carbon sinks, support high biodiversity, regulate hydrology, and provide sustainable fodder that supports traditional pastoral livelihoods.