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2 lakh seedlings for "Trees outside Forest" project

V.S. Palaniappan

To enhance green cover and meet the growing demand for timber

Coimbatore: In an effort to increase green cover and to meet the growing demand for timber, the forest department has proposed to raise two lakh seedlings for the `Trees outside the forest' in association with farmers in Coimbatore and the Nilgiris districts.

Conservator of Forests P.C. Tyagi said the State Government had embarked on a plan to motivate and help the farmers to grow trees in the countryside especially along the reserve forests.

This would enhance the green cover to the desired 33 per cent. It would also give earning prospects for the farmers besides meeting the growing demand for timber. Promoting the scheme outside the forests was very important, since the reserve forest areas were limited. At present, the timber was being sourced from the canal bank plantations in Tanjore and Kerala besides South East Asian countries.

The department that had stopped green felling provided timber only from the dead and wind fallen trees.

With the construction industry booming, there was an imperative need for encouraging farmers to grow construction grade timber.

The department would identify the species that are in demand such as teak, Antho Cephalus Kadamba, Malai Vembu, casuarinas and bamboo.

Under this project, the department would provide tall seedlings and help the farmers in planting them. The farmers would deposit 10 per cent of the cost involved as deposit and would be returned to them later.

The department would enter into a memorandum of understanding with the farmers for nurturing and maintaining the seedlings and would advise them on putting tree guards around the seedlings to protect the same from cattle.

The department would also take up periodical inspections.

The farmers could cut these trees for meeting the timber demand and could take the entire sale proceeds.

The waiting period for returns would be higher only in terms of teak whereas the other species would bring returns at the earliest, officials said.

In Coimbatore District Forest Officer I. Anwardeen said preliminary works were under way in all the six ranges for identifying willing farmers and landowners and also the areas where the project could be launched.

The nurseries across the district were already on the job of raising the seedlings and said the project would start once the monsoon sets in.

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