From an ecological invasion to building material: Lantana camara finds new purpose in architecture and design.

Lantana camara, an invasive shrub, now threatens 40% of India's tiger range.
It's quite alarming, especially since the Shivalik hills, Central India, and Southern Western Ghats are the hardest hit areas with it occupying about 300,000 sq. km of land.

Creative solutions to tackle this problem include using its branches as a building material. Providing this opportunity to the Nilgiri tribals not only offers them a source of income but also helps safeguard our forests.

              

This repurposed shrub presents a new opportunity for architects and designers to use in their projects, from fencing to cladding to furniture and potentially even lighting and home decor.

While creative, this solution highlights the urgent need for biodiversity monitoring and restoration studies to protect against invasive species.
Nonetheless, this is a positive step towards making the best of a difficult situation and turning an invasive species into a valuable building material!