Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday inaugurated the native tree growing programme of the Forest College and Research Institute (FC&RI), Mettupalayam, in which saplings of one lakh native tree species were planted on institute’s campus.
Mr. Purohit launched the afforestation drive by planting the first sapling, that of a Shenbagam ( Michelia champaka ) in the presence of N. Kumar, vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Agricultural Production Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Agriculture and K.K. Suresh, Dean, FC&RI.
The tree saplings produced at FC&RI itself were planted in the ‘K’ and ‘F’ blocks of the institute, one of the constituent colleges of TNAU, covering an area of around 50 acres.
A release issued by TNAU said that the programme was the first of its kind wherein one lakh native tree seedlings were planted inside a single institute. The initiative aims to rehabilitate the degraded forest area of the institute, said the release.
The saplings of 35 indigenous tree species were planted by Board of Management Members of TNAU, students and staff of FC&RI and TNAU main campus, Coimbatore.
The native tree species planted include sandal, satinwood, bahara, sage leaved alungium, Chinese banyan tree, helicopter tree, neem, karuvel, Illupai, pungam and poovarasu.
The release said that these species would help in augmenting the climate and ecosystem by way of carbon sequestration, releasing of oxygen, temperature moderation, manipulation of micro climate, soil and water conservation and recharging of groundwater. The habitat will become home for birds and wild animals too.
