Cycas beddomei is an evergreen, palm-like plant with an erect main stem that can eventually be up to 200cm tall and 15cm in diameter; this is topped by a crown of around 20 - 30 large leaves each around 100 - 130cm long. Male plants often produce suckers from the base to form a clump, but females are always solitary.
The population of Cycas beddomei is declining, partly due to local medicinal use and partly due to the frequency of grassfires that effectively block reproduction. It was not possible to estimate the extent of decline as the historical data appears to have underestimated the actual extent and size of the population.
Project activities
To conduct motivation meeting for the indigenous student volunteers and explain the project in detail.
To approach the District Forest Officer, Tiruvannamalai for requesting protection for the planted species.
To purchase saplings from the captive nurseries in the state of Andhra Pradhesh and transport the plants to the target location and to bio-fence.
To plant the plants in the target location with the assistance of labourers and the student volunteers.
To purchase, transport and plant another native non-invasive plant species called ‘Vettiver’ (Chrysopogon zizanioides) as inter crop to provide soil moisture during summer.
To monitor the growth of the plants and protection of plants regularly (i.e.even after project funding period).
To submit periodical reports with pictures.
To audit the financial flow by an independent auditing firm.
To submit the final report to the funding agency.
To monitor regularly during the post funding period.