TSFDC focuses on increasing revenue, to plant commercial varieties of trees
TSFDC is now focusing on plantation of sandalwood, rose wood, bamboo, teak and other commercial varieties of trees across the State
Hyderabad: With an eye on increasing its revenue, besides green cover, Telangana State Forest Development Corporation (TSFDC) is now focusing on plantation of sandalwood, rose wood, bamboo, teak and other commercial varieties of trees across the State.
Over the years, extensive plantation of Eucalyptus was taken up in vast areas across the State. For nearly four decades, these trees were grown on the same soils in rotation after every crop cycle. The monoculture has depleted the soil, therefore there is a need to restore soil health.
Accordingly, TSFDC is now proposing to sow 20 kg of sunhemp seed in the first and second year of plantation maintenance sites and the germinated sunhemp crop will be ploughed back after 45 days. This is proposed in 3,000 hectares of newly grown plantation sites in last two years. This will add humus to soil and activate microbial decomposition of biomass and ensures nutrient recycling. It will enrich soil’s water holding capacity, which ultimately improves the productivity of these plantations. This will also stop land degradation and thus restoring ecology to some extent.
Replacement of Eucalyptus plantations within proposed Regional Ring Road
There is about 3,000 hectares of the Eucalyptus plantation in GHMC area and also area within the proposed Regional Ring Road. Forest Blocks like Suraram, Bowrampet, Gowdawelly, G Ramaram, Pochampally, Shamirpet, Lalgadi Malakpet, Thumukunta, Nagaram, etc, all are in very close proximity to the habitations at present.
With the city expanding fast in all directions, TSFDC officials are of the opinion that it is not wise to have Eucalyptus monoculture in habitation surroundings. Once a Eucalyptus plant is planted it will remain for about 20 years as it has to complete three rotations. Meanwhile, the city will expand further in the next 20 year, said an official from TSFDC.
Therefore, it is planned to replace the extent of Eucalyptus plantations in next ten years. This year, it is planned to replace the 300 hectares of Eucalyptus plantation area, which is harvested and ready for planting with Sandal, Rose wood, Narepi, Bamboo, Terminalia, Seethaphal, Teak etc, which are native species and could yield income to the Corporation in long term, the official said.
They will be taken up in block plantations and Yadadri model (Miyawaki) plantations. This adds to biodiversity conservation. Healing of the ecosystems will ensure sustainable services of the life supporting requirements like clean air, potable water, and healthy soil.
TSFDC chairman Vanteru Pratap Reddy said the Covid-19 situation across the globe re-emphasised the need for eco-system restoration and ecological balance on the planet. It is important to care for our environment we live in. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has emphasised time and again that it is our responsibility to protect our environment and forest wealth for generations to come on the planet, he said in a message here on Friday.
“Ecosystem could be Forest Ecosystem, Lake Ecosystem, Agriculture Ecosystem and so on. Everywhere actions are required for restoring Ecological balance. Then only the landscape will be vibrant and support life on it,” Pratap Reddy said.
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