Context: Recently, the Uttarakhand forest department opened a biodiversity park in Haldwani to encourage conservation of flora, especially medicinal plants. 
Background

• The state’s rich botanical heritage is facing threats from climate change, degrading landscapes, habitat loss and development activities

Key Points

• The park in Haldwani, opened June 5, 2020 — World Environment Day — has 40 thematic sections.
• The section on cactus in the Haldwani biodiversity park houses 61 species of cactus and 89 succulents.
• Many of them are labelled as ‘super foods’ and have an established market.
• They include of wild edible plant species, fruits as well as plants of medicinal and commercial importance with cultural, religious and historical significance.
• Wild berries like kaphal (Myrica esculenta), hisalu (Rubus ellipticus), ghingharu (Pyracantha crenulata) and kilmora (Berberis asiatica) grow wild in the state.
• They grow naturally in the forests and are not planted.
• The park also houses a collection of lesser-known condiments that grow in the wild.
• For example, ‘jakhiya’ or wild mustard (Cleome viscosa) and ‘faran’ (Allium stracheyi) are used extensively for tempering culinary dishes that have found an international market.
• The park also has a section on wild edible mushrooms.
• The Park has 40 unique sections having 479 rare plant species of cactus, medicinal herbs, different types of trees, etc.
• The various species of plants have been brought to the park from diverse terrains like Niti Mana Valley and even from some glaciers around Kedarnath.
• Niti Mana Valley is located near the India Tibetan Border in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
• The plant species in the biodiversity park is divided into spiritual & religious, scientific, human health, and aesthetic value sections.
• The spiritual section has trees that find mention in holy scriptures like Guru Granth Sahib, Quran, Bible, and others.
• It showcases the different kinds of soil found in various topographies of Uttarakhand — alpine, bhabhar, sub-mountainous, mountainous, tertiary, loam, terai.
• Various environmental concepts and conservation issues including global warming, forest rivers, species extinction, internal communication of plants and recent developments like spread of virus from animals to human beings are explained at the interpretation centre inside the park.