This Unusual Garden Has Exhibits That Include A Moss Species Used To Dress Wounds In World War I

Moss has been utilised for thousands of years in medicine and gardens across the world. One of the most ancient life forms on earth, moss forests can withstand extreme climates. For instnce, Antarctica's mosses are the only plants that can survive frigid winters. Studies have revealed that moss garden serve as hotspots of biodiversity and can provide much-needed biodiverse ecosystems in cities. Moss is revered in many old cultures. One of the many reasons you might want to visit Japan is for its endearing, vintage moss lawns. The delicate, felt-like organism has a revered reputation in the nation. So much so that visitors must apply in advance to Saiho-ji, or the Moss Temple, Kyoto's top attraction. They even have a moss-girl and moss-viewing-parties trend.

The good news is that now you don’t need to wait to visit Japan to see an actual moss garden. The garden, developed by the state forest department’s Research Advisory Committe under the CAMPA scheme, was inaugurated recently in Khurpatal in Nainital district, by renowned water conservationist Rajendra Singh—also known as the Waterman of India.

Spread over 10 hectares, it has a trail that runs a little over a kilometre, exhibiting 30 species of the bryophyte, with two (Cement Moss and Brachythecium Buchanani) even featuring in International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list. India's first Lichen Park has also come up at Munsiyari with over 150 lichen species.

Mosses, believed to be among the first plants on earth, are a non-vascular plant (simple, low-growing species that do not flower) that reproduce using spores. Mosses often grow in the damp, without much sunlight, and show extraordinary sensitivity to outside environment. Being more receptive to air and rain, they can act as excellent bioindicators of environmental degradation.

The Western Himalayas have always been known for their rich moss cover, and the Kumaon region displays an especial luxuriance of the bryophyte. If you’ve ever travelled in the mountains during the monsoon, chances are that you have seen it luxuriating on rocks, concrete benches and bare hillsides—and avoiding stepping on it on hikes lest you twist your ankle.

Known as just the Moss Garden, it has been developed as both a centre for conservation of the mosses and other bryophytes of the region and as a recreation spot for those journeying around the hill station. In addition to the moss trail, one will also find an interpretation centre with exhibits such as the one illustrating the use of the Sphagnum variety that was used to dress wounds in the First World War. Sphagnum moss is known to absorb moisture a lot quicker than cotton, in addition to being an effective antiseptic.

The other attractions in the garden include a dinosaur installation in a nod to the prehistoric antecedents of the bryophyte. One will also see a moss terrarium displaying an actual ecosystem, moss ornaments that are again a huge craze among the Japanese, and a bird’s nest employing moss to regulate temperature and keep bacteria away.