Lantana Eco Wood
Transforming the invasive species Lantana camara into eco-friendly green eco-wood, promoting environmental conservation and sustainable design.
Lantana scientifically known as Lantana Camara is second worst invasive species and a species of high concern for India.
It was never a native to Indian sub-continent but was brought to India by Britishers during the 1800s, primarily for ornamental purposes due to its vibrant and attractive flowers. Its allelopathic nature and its berries are consumed and dispersed by birds, aided its spread to new areas.
It has spread across more than 3 lakh square kilometers of forest impacting 42% of total forest cover.
It affects 40% tiger reserves including Jim Corbet Nation Park. It is affecting the ecosystem and habitats of tigers, vultures and elephants.
Lantana camara affects different aspects:
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Financial Impact: It has a cost burden of INR 14lac per square kilometers to get rid of it.
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Ecological Impact: Lantana camara has a reputation for being a highly invasive species. It can form dense thickets that outcompete native vegetation, reducing biodiversity and altering ecosystem structure and function. The dense growth of lantana can block sunlight, preventing the growth of understory plants and affecting the regeneration of native species.
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Soil and Water: Lantana camara has allelopathic properties, which means it releases chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants. This can alter soil composition and affect soil fertility. Additionally, lantana's dense growth can lead to soil erosion, particularly on steep slopes. The plant's extensive root system can also disrupt natural water flow, potentially leading to increased runoff and sedimentation in water bodies.
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Livestock and Wildlife: Lantana camara is toxic to many livestock species, including cattle, horses, and sheep. Ingestion of lantana leaves and stems can cause liver damage and photosensitivity, leading to illness and sometimes death. Additionally, the dense thickets formed by lantana can reduce available forage for grazing animals. While lantana is generally avoided by most wildlife due to its toxicity, certain species may be negatively impacted if it displaces their preferred habitat or food sources.
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Agricultural Impact: In agricultural areas, lantana can be a significant problem. It competes with crops for resources and can reduce crop yields. It also hampers farm operations by interfering with access to fields and obstructing machinery.
Lantana Eco Wood
The widespread invasion of lantana across 303,607 square kilometers of forest poses a significant national challenge. The inventive conversion of this invasive plant into eco wood presents a dual solution: mitigating lantana's impact while revolutionizing carbon-intensive plywood production. This innovation boasts inherent carbon negativity, countering its manufacturing footprint with recyclable benefits. By aligning with UNSDGs goals, this eco wood addresses social and environmental objectives. It's a transformative step toward sustainable resource utilization, combating invasives, reducing carbon emissions, and advancing the United Nations' global sustainable development agenda.
At the UN Biodiversity conference COP15, in Dec 2022, the world came together to a decision to save 30% of it's biodiversity.
In the Indian context, the current situation requires we restore as much of our forests as quickly as we can to meet this goal. In India, most of our forests are degraded with invasive species like Lantana, Parthenium etc. To conserve our biodiversity, which is overrun by these invasives, novel ways that are sustainable ecologically and economically are required.
Here, we present a circular economy project design dealing with invasive plants which also funds conservation endeavours. This is a turnkey project which can be easily transferred to any location with a minimal adjustment to local needs..
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Environment friendly and 100% Recyclable
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Accurate dimensions and perfect surface for plastering.
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Strong and Durable
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Compatibility to laminations
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Energy efficient
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Fire retardant and Pest Resistant
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Natural Thermal Insulation and suitable for all weathers
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Largely Scalable and Commercially viable
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Compressive strength : 600 - 1900 kg/cm2
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Weight Holding : 60 kilogram
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Unit weight : 1.5 - 2.1 kg/sq ft
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Water Absorption : 2- 5 %
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Density : 800-900 kg/m3
A video of Dr Binish Desai's invention Lantana Eco wood featured by Zydus Foundation