A Novel Circa situm Approach to Conserve Forest Genetic Resources of the Western Ghats

Abstract

The Western Ghats of India is a rich repository of forest genetic resources in terms of wild fl ora, wild relatives of
crop plants, edible fruits, medicinal plants and myriad agro-forestry systems. This paper discusses the importance
and potentiality of novel approaches such as ‘Forest gene banks’ and ‘circa situm conservation’. It also emphasizes
creation of range-wide, spatially explicit big-database on circa situm conservation value of agro-forestry systems
as well as to develop guidelines for establishment of circa situm gene banks across the country.