The field staff of the Malayattoor Forest Division have now one more thing to look out for during their field trips; huge trees, hidden by Nature.
The recent discovery of a giant teak tree in the Malayattoor division, which escaped the incisive gaze of the forest staff, has added one more item to their check list. It is supposed to be the biggest one in Asia, considering its girth of 765 cm, said B.N. Nagaraj, Divisional Forest Officer, Malayattoor division.
The girth of a tree is its circumference at the chest level of a human being.
The girth of the Kannimari teak in Parambikulam is 642 cm and the one spotted at Kappayam of Idamalayar range of the Malayattoor division is 723 cm, said Nagaraj.
The recently discovered tree is around 40 metre tall and is believed to have seen life sprouting and withering around it for nearly 500 years.
Forest officials have identified its location as Thundathil range in the division.
The officials are planning to carry out intensive surveys in the area to discover whether Nature has kept any more such hidden surprises for them. The discovery has also brought additional responsibilities to the forest staff and ensuring protection for the tree is the most important challenge before them.
A protection structure needs to be set up around it and parasite plants should be removed from it.
A guard needs to be deputed exclusively for protecting the tree, Mr. Nagaraj said, listing his protection agenda.
The find has also evoked some interest among the scientific community of the State. Experts from the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Thrissur, are planning to make a trip to take a look at the tree, said K.V. Sankaran director of the Institute. The institute will look into scientific aspects of the tree including its age and log volume, Dr. Sankaran said.
