Ramya Ravi, Siddhartha Krishnan

Geoforum | October 28, 2024

Our paper explores invasive networks from 1819 to present-day Banni grassland, Kutch, Gujarat, focusing on Prosopis juliflora’s invasion. Colonial transport of valuable plants boosted imperial power but alterned native ecosystems, leaving invasive species as a legacy. Only a few transferred plants became invasive, with patterns shaped by complex networks of cultural, historical, political, and ecological interrelationships. Historical and archival research shows that colonial and post-colonial policies, political economy shifts, local disputes, and environmental ideologies contributed to its spread in Banni grassland.