The Haryana Forest Department signed a MoU with the Patanjali Anusandhan Sansthan Divya Yog Mandir Trust, Haridwar, for developing a World Herbal Forest at Morni in Panchkula district.
The World Herbal Forest would be developed on about 53,000 acres with technical and knowledge support of the Patanjali Anusandhan Sansthan.
This will not only help in promotion of herbal and medicinal plants, but will also assist in promoting forest tourism in the State.
This herbal forest will bring Haryana on the world map where botanists and researchers from around the globe will visit.
The land in Morni would remain either with the local people or with the Forests Department.
The people will also obtain new technique of cultivation. Apart from conservation of existing plants, a variety of about 25,000 medicinal plants and herbs found in the country will be planted in this area.
The forest would be divided into clusters for plantation. The Patanjali Anusandhan Sansthan would provide its expertise free of cost for developing the herbal forest.
The Sansthan would identify plants, select suitable area for plantation, and provide scientific assistance.
Out of the 4.5 lakh varieties of plants, Patanjali’s scientists and experts have identified about 60,000 medicinal and herbal varieties which were being documented.