Alexander Gibson (botanist) facts for kids
Alexander Gibson (1800–1867) was a Scottish doctor and plant expert who worked in India. He was born in Kincardineshire, Scotland, and studied in Edinburgh. He went to India as a surgeon for the East India Company. Gibson became the superintendent of the Dapuri botanical gardens from 1838 to 1847. On March 22, 1847, he was named the first Conservator of Forests of India. He wrote many books about plants and forests in India, helping to start modern forestry there.
Early Life and Work
Alexander Gibson was born on October 24, 1800, in Lorensk, Scotland. From his father, he learned to respect nature and new farming methods. He studied subjects like Latin, Greek, and natural history.
In 1825, the East India Company sent Gibson to India as a surgeon. He served in Burma and later moved to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1827. He also worked on vaccination programs in different parts of India, including Gujarat. Gibson learned to speak Marathi, Hindi, and Gujarati, which helped him talk with local communities.
He built a botanical garden in Hiware village in India, where he offered free medical help to villagers. He also experimented with new crops like sago, potato, and sugarcane to help local farmers.
Gibson noticed that many forests were disappearing, especially in the Deccan and Konkan regions. He wrote to Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1841, explaining his concerns. This led to the creation of the Bombay forest conservancy, and Gibson became its first conservator. This was a very early example of a government managing forests. He wrote two important books about Indian plants: Bombay Flora (1861) and Hand-book to the Forests of the Bombay Presidency (1863).
Protecting India's Forests
By 1840, the East India Company needed more wood for building ships. So, the government asked Gibson to survey the forests in the Western Ghats. From 1840 to 1844, Gibson traveled over 800 miles on horseback, exploring forests from Mumbai to South Karnataka. He often started his day very early to avoid dangers like malaria.
During his travels, Gibson saw a lot of deforestation. Forests were being cut down for coal, farm tools, wheels, and fuel. In 1842, he noted that local people were cutting trees but not planting new ones. Gibson told the government that rules were needed to stop illegal logging. He also suggested that local communities could help manage forests, laying the groundwork for what is now called social forestry.
In 1836, Gibson was put in charge of the Dapodi Garden, which was about 90 acres. He focused on growing medicinal plants there. He even hired a painter to create sketches of flowering plants. Gibson himself drew 173 plant paintings, known as 'Dapodi Drawings,' which are still kept in Edinburgh. He also sent farming tools and a bullock cart from India to Scotland, which are now in the National Museum of Scotland.
Gibson played a key role in creating forest conservation laws for the East India Company. He worked with others like Hugh Francis Cleghorn and Edward Balfour to spread awareness about forest protection. He also wrote more than 48 research papers on traditional medicinal plants, which were published in the 'Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India'.
Gibson's Memorial
A memorial was built by Gibson's wife near the Kukadi River dam in Junnar. Close by are also the stone tombs of his three pet dogs: Lazy, Hector, and Tipu. Gibson's old bungalow, where he wrote his forest reports, and the stable for his horses are still in good condition. A rare mahogany tree that Gibson planted two hundred years ago still stands there.
Alexander Gibson left India in 1864 and passed away in Scotland on January 16, 1867, during a snowstorm.
