Forest Range Officer Syed Mazharuddin Ahmed needs to be credited with ‘thinking out of the box’ with respect to the State government’s prestigious plantation drive Telanganaku Haritha Haram as he adds a new dimension to the phenomenon of natural regeneration of forests.
He has successfully experimented in planting comparatively larger branches of a wind-felled andook tree ( boswellia serrata ) in the Kerameri highlands in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, the results of which demonstrate that considerable amount of time and energy can be saved through this method.
“This branch has sprouted leaves in just two months of plantation and is now equal to a three-year-old plant,” the Kerameri FRO explains as he points out towards a rather awkward looking branch but, one which has established itself in such a short time. “This is one of the 20 branches, of about 4 ft in length, which were salvaged from a fallen tree and planted here,” he added.
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One of components of THH is to raise forest species in forest lands in order to restore lost vegetation. “We do raise forest species in our nurseries but the saplings take years together to establish themselves,” Mr. Mazharuddin Ahmed observed.
The Forest official recalled having located a wind-fallen tree and thought of making use of its branches for plantation under the ongoing third phase of the THH. “One healthy andook tree can yield 40 to 50 branches worth planting which also saves even some money for the government,” he opined.
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Planting the andook, a favourite of browsing animals, in forests is also tough as the tree produces less seeds. The rate of germination is also dismal. The famed forests in undivided Adilabad had once comprised of about 20 per cent of andook which is an important species owing to its medicinal value and potential to yield gum karaya, a key minor forest produce. Considered auspicious, its tender branches with leaves are also used to make the mandapam or canopy for performing Hindu marriages.
Easily uprooted
“Being weak, andook gets easily uprooted due to high speed winds. The uprooting is witnessed more where the trees have lost the shield of vegetation in their surroundings,” Mr. Mazharudding Ahmed pointed out.
The FRO is also of the opinion that the experiment can be repeated with some other forest species like the ficus trees. “Like andook, ficus can also establish itself without being ‘bothered’ by the invasive weeds,” he asserted as he pointed out towards the carpet of weeds which makes growth of saplings, impossible.