Dehradun, Nov. 2 -- A year after Uttarakhand's forest department launched a programme to restore rare and threatened Himalayan plants to their natural habitats, seven of the 11 species covered in its first phase have recorded survival rates ranging from 42% to 100%, according to a progress report compiled this month. Monitoring by the department's research wing found that several species had adapted well after being raised in nurseries and transplanted to suitable habitats. The programme, launched in 2025, targets rare, endangered and threatened (RET) plants listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or the Uttarakhand State Biodiversity Board. Many have medicinal value and face declining populations due to overharvesting, habitat loss and grazing. "One year on, the results show that these threatened species can be raised in nurseries and re-established in their natural habitats, provided each is matched to the right microhabitat and the sites are protected and monitored," said Manoj Singh, research officer with the forest research wing, who compiled the report. Conceived under Sanjiv Chaturvedi, then chief conservator of forests (research), the initiative saw around 1,400 plants of 11 species planted across 11 sites in 2025, mostly during the monsoon. The sites ranged from the Shivalik foothills of Rajaji Tiger Reserve to alpine habitats at nearly 3,500 metres in Munsiyari. "This is India's first systematic trial of reintroducing rare and threatened (RET) plant species into their natural habitats. While past reintroduction programmes have focused on animals, this is the first initiative dedicated exclusively to RET flora," Chaturvedi had said at its launch in July 2025. "The success of this endeavour will not only be a source of pride for Uttarakhand but will also pave the way for the conservation of endangered plants in other states." Among the best-performing species was Kakarsingi (Pistacia integerrima), a medicinal tree, which recorded 100% survival, with all 10 saplings planted at Kalika near Ranikhet alive in July 2026. Himalayan Arnebia (Arnebia benthamii), a highly endangered herb, recorded 90% survival, with 45 of 50 plants surviving on the slopes of Mana Van Panchayat near Badrinath, at 3,249 metres in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Its roots are overharvested for their red colour and use in the traditional drug Gaozaban. The plant takes three to four years to reach reproductive maturity. Gainti (Indopiptadenia oudhensis), the only species in its genus, recorded 86% survival at Hanumanchatti in Champawat forest division. Satuwa (Paris polyphylla), listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and heavily traded for its rhizomes, recorded 75% survival near Gopeshwar. The Kumaon fan palm (Trachycarpus takil), found in only two regions in India and capable of surviving frost and snow, recorded 65% survival near Gini Band in Pithoragarh. White Himalayan lily (Lilium polyphyllum), classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, recorded 61% survival in Uttarkashi's Nelong Valley. However, the trials also highlighted the risks of planting species in unsuitable habitats. Only 15 of 200 Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) plants survived at Khuliya Top in Munsiyari, at 3,467 metres. Singh attributed the losses to waterlogged meadow soil, noting that the species naturally grows in rocky, well-drained crevices. At Ladiakanta near Nainital, 260 of 350 Tumri (Pittosporum eriocarpum) saplings died due to heat and moisture stress during the dry pre-monsoon months. Patwa (Meizotropis pellita), found in chir pine forests at Patwadangar, was affected by wind-blown embers from forest fires and burrowing animals. More than 150 of the 350 plants were confirmed alive and sprouting in June, with a final count pending. Fencing and camera traps are planned. Two other species require longer monitoring. Eremostachys superba at Mohand in Rajaji Tiger Reserve showed almost no shoots during a dry spell in June, although viable underground rhizomes were found. Similarly, only two to five of 157 Trayamaan (Gentiana kurroo) plants at Kunarsar near Chakrata were visible in October. "Survival above the ground is not the whole story. Species like Eremostachys and Gentiana go dormant while their rhizomes stay alive underground, so we will judge them over several seasons, not one," Singh said....