Shola forests are tropical Montane forests found in the valleys separated by rolling grasslands only in the higher elevations. They are found only in South India in the Southern Western Ghats. The shola forests are patches of forests that occur only in the valleys where there is least reach of the fog and mist.

At least five major types of wet evergreen forest or rainforest are found in the Anamalai hills region depending on elevation above sea level and aspect (eastern versus western slopes of the main hill range): 1. Plains and low elevation wet evergreen forest This type is found at elevations below 700 m, particularly on the western side of the Ghats. It is characterized by tall dipterocarp trees including many endemics: Dipterocarpus indicus and Dipterocarpus bourdilloni, Vateria indica, Hopea ponga. Historically, much of this type has been lost, especially in the plains. Examples exist in areas near Manamboli and Vazhachal. 2. Medium elevation wet evergreen forest This is the most extensive wet evergreen type in the Anamalai hills today, found at elevations between 700 m and 1,400 m. It is characterized by tree species such as Cullenia exarillata, Mesua ferrea, Palaquium ellipticum, and Myristica dactyloides. Much of this rainforest type occurs as fragments, including on private lands in the Valparai plateau and Nelliampathy hills. Examples of this type can be found at Iyerpadi near Valparai, near Uralikkal-Surulimalai and in near Malakkiparai. 3. Transitional forests with Lauraceae As we move higher, between 1,400 m and 1,700 m, the above forest type changes to montane forest through this transitional forest type. This type has many Lauraceae species such as Persea macrantha, Neolitsea sp. and Litsea sp. An example is Akkamalai forest. 4. Shola forest The typical shola forest, a kind of stunted montane wet evergreen forest, is found at elevations above 1,800 m. This type is found only in the hills of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, and Palnis in the Western Ghats. Characteristic trees include Schefflera racemosa, Michelia nilagirica, and Prunus ceylanica. Examples are seen in Konalar-Grass Hills and in Eravikulam.

Restoration is the process of returning an ecosystem to its original state prior to disturbance or human impact. Ecological restoration is defined as the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed (Society for Ecological Restoration International Science and Policy Working Group 2004).

In the context of restoration, recovery means the process of returning to similar conditions as reference sites: 1) The natural structural characteristics of the ecosystem such as multi-layer vegetation, tree canopy cover, etc. 2) The natural functional attributes and dynamics of the ecosystem such as pollination, dispersal, decomposition, etc., and 3) The characteristic indigenous species assemblages of the ecosystem, such as the plants, animals, fungi, etc. found in reference sites.

Restoration should always be towards a goal. Reference sites help determine that goal. Reference sites are sites containing representative examples of the area under restoration as it was prior to human disturbance. They may also be relatively undisturbed sites located in the same environmental setting (e.g., same elevation, rainfall zone, and soil type), which have been subjected to little or no human impacts.

It is a common misconception that if we strictly protect an area, it will naturally recover because ‘Nature knows best’. This may be true for large areas of little disturbed forests, but we now know that many areas will not recover even after decades of protection. In such areas carefully planned intervention in the form of restoration becomes necessary because: 1) natural recovery of the original vegetation and associated animal communities will not occur even under strict protection following the removal or curtailment of disturbance factors, 2) natural recovery may take an enormous amount of time (decades to centuries) unless we intervene to ‘assist the recovery’ of the degraded site, and 3) meeting specific conservation goals requires the revival of specific sites within a specific time period.

Restoration may be necessary in a wide variety of sites such as areas where: 1) there is heavy infestation of weeds, grasses, and vines, choking natural vegetation, 2) the soil seed bank is depleted or lost due to historical disturbance such as fire and grazing, 3) parent trees that can produce seeds are locally extinct, as in isolated fragments, 4) natural forests have been replaced by monoculture timber plantations or cash crops, 5) settlements, plantations, or other land-use existed earlier but are now abandoned, 6) soil nutrient status and symbiotic mycorrhizal fungal populations are lost or reduced, 7) large areas have been cleared or mined with top soil lost, eroded, or depleted, or 8) open areas have been created due to clear-felling, fires, or landslides.

Cactuses grow fastest in optimal conditions. Re-pot your cactus in a ceramic pot slightly larger than its current container. ... Place your cactus on a bright, south-facing window sill or the sunniest spot in your home. ... Water during the warmer months of the year, when the top inch of the soil is completely dry.

Cacti are special in many ways. Many people think that cacti live in deserts. Nothing can live in a real desert, but 'desert' cacti are adapted in many ways to live in dry and sometimes hot places. Globular cacti – a round shape means less surface area to lose water through evaporation.

Despite widespread belief, most succulents do not thrive if blasted with the hottest temps and the fullest sun exposure. While they appreciate a lot of light (and very few survive in full shade), most succulents need sun protection, especially if the temperature hits the 90-degree-mark, or if they're small.

How often to water and fertilize: While growing, cacti and succulents should be watered at least once a week. Some people water more often than this. During each watering, give the soil a good soaking, so that water runs out of the 'drainage holes' of the pots.

Just select your favorite plant or item and check out using cart. Our payment gateway are safe and secured. Once your order is confirmed, you will get a mail and will be delivered in 5-7 working days.

all online payment gateways are accepted including Debit/Credit Cards and Upi, Paytm, Google Pay, Phone Pe. You can also ask for bank details and do transfer using NEFT. We use a secure network like PayU and RazorPay and your transactions are safe.

It usually takes 5-7 days to deliver pan India. You will be provided with tracking id to know about your parcel. We sue Speed Post and prominent courier services like Blue Dart, Delhivery, and Professional Courier Services for our products.

Booking Cancellation Policy We provide 100% refund if booking is cancelled 14 days prior to travel. However 7 days prior we provide 50% and No refund if the cancellation is less than 48 Hrs. Online Orders Policy We provide full refund in case of unsatisfactory or defected product if the item is returned within a week of delivery. In other cases you can contact support and raise an issue and we will try our best to help.