In order to establish the gene bank of the highly threatened and rare varieties of medicinal, wild food and other species and to develop their nursery for re-plantation of the seedlings of these rare species for restoring and enriching of the floral diversity of the region, the Haldwani forest division has set up a rare tree species conservation centre (RTSCC). Taking an initiative in this direction, it has set up the said conservation centre at Sultan Nagri block of its Chhakata range. This is an attempt to identify these local rare tree species and to grow them at a place, we have set up the conservation centre. As many as 100 sapling of 25 species have been planted in this centre, said C S Sanwal, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), the Haldwani forest division. The major wild food species which have been planted in this conservation centre include Falsa, 'sallu, Kainth, Oungi, Amra, Barna, Bhilawa, Mainfal, Panchnala and Ankol, he added. Besides, a variety of the medicinal tree species like Thanela, Padal, Pula, Sarpadansi, Mida, Chirongi, Vishtendu, Bijasal, Boran have also been planted in this centre, Sanwal further informed. Apart from some fodder species like Ekdaniya and others, some oil yielding tree species including Kusum, Indian butter tree to name a few have also been planted in this rare tree species conservation centre, the DFO, Haldwani forest division further said. The main objective of setting up of this rare tree species centre is to establish the gene bank of these highly threatened species of the local forest and to develop the nursery of these rare species in future so that the seedlings of these rare species can be replanted in the forest to restore and enrich the floral diversity of the region. Besides, this centre will also raise the awareness among the common people and environmentalist for protecting and conserving these species in the jungle, he expressed hope. Further to strengthen the rare tree species conservation centre many new species will also be identified and conserved in the centre in the coming monsoon, as the official concerned said.