Mangalore: Prof. K. R. Chandrashekar, the chairman of the department of applied botany in Mangalore University said that around two –third of the natures living creatures depend on forest resources, but unfortunately 1030 million square kilometers of forests has been deforested.
He was delivering the keynote address at a seminar titled “Trees – Caretakers of the Planet,” organized by the Nature Club and the Department of Botany at St. Agnes College held College auditorium on August 5, Friday.
He also said that the United Nations general assembly had declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to create awareness on the management, conservation, and development of forests.
Dr. Sr. M. Prem D’Souza, presided over the event and said that trees are spiritual in nature.
In the first session, Mahesh Kumar, the assistant director of CRZ spoke on the topic “Mangroves – Protection and Management”, second session by Dinesh Nayak, the advisor of the green belt of MSEZ on “Trees of the Western Ghats” and the third session by Sr. Agnesia B. S., social work coordinator of Shubhada on “Herbs and Herbal Preparations”.
Convener Dr. Noeline J. Pinto and Sr. Maria Kripa were also present on the occasion.