Invasive Bandipur lantana turned into fuel now

Shrubs removed from 100 acres of forest processed

- KARTHIK K K @ Mysuru

OFFICIALS of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) have begun converting lantana into fuel briquettes, transforming an environmental menace into a potential source of clean energy and livelihood for communities living on the fringes of the sanctuary.

Lantana, the invasive shrub, disrupts the native forest ecosystem by wiping out indigenous grass species and suppressing tree regeneration, ultimately reducing the capacity of forests to support wildlife. The survival of forests depends on the eradication of lantana to allow native vegetation and food chains to recover.