Since June 5, a total of 545 hectares of land — which were set to be replanted with acacia saplings — has been replanted with native tree saplings across Kerala, A.K. Dharni, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry) has told The Hindu . This includes 365 hectares in Thiruvananthapuram and 180 hectares in Thrissur districts.
According to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden K.J. Varughese, approximately 50% of the area under acacia plantations across the State will be replaced with native trees. At present, there are 9,340 hectares of Forest Department-owned acacia plantations in Kerala.
Native trees that will replace acacia saplings include Maruthu ( Terminalia paniculata ), Ashokam ( Saraca asoka ), Kanikonna ( Cassia fistula ), Irumullu ( Xylia xylocarpa ) and Kambakam ( Hopea ponga ).
“This phasing out of acacia will be conducted over its growth cycle of eight years,” said Mr. Varughese. As mature acacia stands are logged for pulpwood, they will be replaced with indigenous trees. However, there is no written order regarding this policy decision from the government yet. On July 19, Forest Minister K. Raju had clarified to The Hindu that there would be no more planting of invasive species such as acacia near human habitations, including agricultural fields or roadsides.
Pulpwood for HNL
The Forest Department will continue to plant acacia species for industrial purposes to honour its commitment of supplying pulpwood to the government-owned Hindustan Newsprint Ltd. (HNL), said Mr. Varughese.
“The government has a long-term agreement to supply 1.5 lakh MT [million tonnes] of pulpwood like acacia and eucalyptus to HNL,” Mr. Dharni said in an e-mail. “We have not been able to supply the required quantity in recent years.”
“There will be a zero grandis policy,” said Mr. Varughese. “It will be phased out completely over a period of 24 years,” he added. Eucalyptus grandis has a longer growth period since logged trees can coppice well. Kerala is home to 6,566 hectares of Eucalyptus plantations owned by the Kerala Forest Department.
Both Eucalytpus and acacia are grown for timber and pulpwood in the State. Earlier in April, protests had erupted across several panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram district against replanting of acacia owing to concerns that it affects public health and water supply.
