LANTANA FURNITURE
Lantana camara is a highly invasive plant just like parthenium. After being brought into India from South America as an ornamental and hedge plant about 2 centuries ago, now it has become so widespread as to threaten most of our wildlife habitat and making our forests inhospitable for native flora and fauna. This weed besides being inedible for the herbivores, also grows so thick and dense that the herbivores do not prefer to live in areas dominated by lantana. As such our already dwindling forest cover is further reduced by this pugnacious weed. Despite many efforts to eradicate, this weed still persists and pervades.
In this scenario, some tribal communities have started making furnitures from lantana. These furnitures resemble cane furniture in design and performance but only cost almost half the price. By making furnitures from lantana, these tribals besides making a livelihood for them, clear our forests of lantana. Another benefit is felling of other trees for furniture is prevented.
One such tribal community from Chembakolly village near Gudalur has formed an Eco Development Committee to make furnitures from lantana collected from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Around 16 families are now dependent on this venture. However, they are facing difficulty marketing their products at present and requested our help in this regard. Mohanraj and Thenmurugakani visited Chembakolly village and had a first hand experience of the way the lantana is made into furniture by these tribals.
We hope to place a trial order shortly and display these furnitures in this month’s EnviroMeet.
In this regard, we welcome your ideas in helping these tribals market their lantana furniture.
Together, we can effect change.
Photos : http://picasaweb.google.com/pasumaiosai10/LantanaFurnitureMudumalai#slideshow/5446847390798237906
Web : www.greenosai.org
a real eco help by innocent so called illiterate tribals an attempt the educated lot never have thought only books and press conference but they have done in practical well bring the product out get it inaugurated by any millionaire we have many they are paying for Polythenen sure they can promote it too on their mobile hoardings(players) shirts !
they have done a job but side by side they must plant more trees and be careful lantana bug is harmful for milk producing mammals and it could lead to biomagnification
March 31st, 2010 at 8:56 am
Well!!!!!!!!
A nice information!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!
References :
March 31st, 2010 at 9:32 am
a real eco help by innocent so called illiterate tribals an attempt the educated lot never have thought only books and press conference but they have done in practical well bring the product out get it inaugurated by any millionaire we have many they are paying for Polythenen sure they can promote it too on their mobile hoardings(players) shirts !
they have done a job but side by side they must plant more trees and be careful lantana bug is harmful for milk producing mammals and it could lead to biomagnification
References :