Forest Department begins sowing to rejuvenate green cover lost in forest fire this summer, saplings to be planted next year

The Forest Department in Dakshina Kannada has begun sowing seeds in such areas where the green cover was lost to forest fire in this summer

The Forest Department in Dakshina Kannada has begun sowing seeds in such areas where the green cover was lost to forest fire in this summer.

According to Y.K. Dinesh Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Dakshina Kannada, the fire destroyed green cover on 404 hectares of forest area in 60 locations.

To revive the cover, the department will sow seeds of Western Ghats species of plants on 204 hectares during this monsoon. The seeds are being sown especially on steep slope areas where planting of saplings is not easy.

The department is sowing the seeds of of local species like bamboo, wild jack, wild mango, ‘baine’ (Caryota urens), and ‘Dhoopa’ (Vateria indica), he said.

“We involved students in the seed sowing activity at Aletti near Sullia and at Kombaru near Kukke Subrahmanya recently,” he told The Hindu.

Mr. Kumar said that steep slope areas had abundant bamboo which was destroyed in fire.

He said that it has been proposed to plant saplings in the remaining 200 hectares lost in fire by raising seedlings in nurseries. “The saplings will be planted next year,” he said.