PI, Co-PI and Project Fellow visited the sacred forest of Mawphlang, Meghalaya on 23rd July 2019. This sacred forest, situated approximately 16 miles from Shillong, is a hub encompassing diverse forms of vegetation, hundreds of years old trees, wild mushroom varieties, lichens, rhododendrons, rudraksh trees, different flowers with varied pollens and many medicinal plants. A rule that is practiced inside the forest is that “Nothing can be brought outside the forest”. Foldscope being highly compatible for field studies was used for exploring and observation of different fungal varieties, pollens, lichens, etc. We were not allowed to bring samples outside the forest and so conducted the staining and observation part inside the forest. Foldscope turned out to be the most effective tool in terms of such field studies which would otherwise have been left unexplored.

The field visit to Mawphlang for observation of diverse vegetations under Foldscope was again conducted on 29th September 2019 where student of Biochemistry Program accompanied the PI and Project Fellow