afforestation –the need of the day

7/28/2019 AFFORESTATION THE NEED OF THE DAY

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AFFORESTATION THE NEED OF THE DAY

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The National Commission on Agriculture recommended under extension

forestry, the raising of plantations of quick growing species on land on

the sides of roads, canals and railways lines. The land available along the

sides of roads, canals and railways lines presents a big potential of about

25,000 km2 for raising plantations of suitable species to produce various

tree products needed by society. Plantations are now being raised on

such lands in different States under Social Forestry programs, the species

being planted and nursery and plantation techniques being followed are

as variable as the site and climatic conditions, but the common objective

is that of raising these plantations for the maximum benefit of society. As

the requirements of the people vary from place to place, so do the

objectives of raising these plantations. To suit wide variations in site

factors and the climatic conditions and to meet widely differing objectives

of management, the species to be planted and the techniques to be

adopted may vary from place to place. The protection measures required
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to protect such plantations will also vary, according to the damaging

agents and the nature and magnitude of the damage done.

The plantations rose on strips of land along the roads, canals and railway

lines will generate a resource whose utilization may catalyze, transform

and improve the rural economy. These plantations are expected to serveas the most important and effective tool in the economic development of

the rural areas besides providing much needed comforts to the travelers

using the roads. The demand of the rural population for fuel wood is

expected to be substantially met from these plantations which will help in

diverting the cow dung from the health to the field and in consequently

increasing agricultural production. The fuel wood to be produced in these

plantations can be conveniently transported to the consuming centers.

The requirement of the villagers for small timber and even constructional

timber is expected to be partly met from these plantations. This objective

is already being realized in some areas of Haryana and Punjab where

road side plantations of Eucalyptus have attained maturity and are being

harvested.

Besides fuel wood and timber, leaf fodder is another important product

expected from these plantations. The leaf fodder of some tree species is

almost as contributes as that of the leguminous fodder crops. Further, the

trees are capable of producing as much green fodder crops per unit area

as the agricultural fodder crops. Through a suitable mixture of the species

the production of leaf fodder, fuel wood and timber can be maximized,

leaf fodder trees will, however, require effective protection measures

against browsing and lopping, particularly in their early years.

The planting, tending and harvesting of strip plantations to be raised

along roads, canals and railway lines will provide employment to the rural

people almost as their doorsteps without making them move to cities.

These plantations will help in solving one of the major problems of rural

India, un-employment. From the stage of nursery rising to the harvesting

and processing of wood, the strip plantations to be raised in the country

are going to provide employment to millions of people. The rural poor aregoing to be the main beneficiaries from this additional Employment

generation.

The importance of such plantations in the aesthetic and environmental

improvement of the country side cannot be minimized. These plantations

will help in restoring the biological balance in the rural areas which has


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been upset because of indiscriminate expansion of agriculture at the cost

of forest vegetation.

During the last thirty years, an area of about 25,000 km2 of waste land,

which carried forest vegetation of one kinder the-other, has been cleared

end brought under, agriculture (Anon; 1981). The consequent upsettingof the biological balance has resulted in an appreciable increase in the

population of rodents and in the incidence of pests and discuses of

agricultural crops. In several tracts, cleaning of forest vegetation has led

to an increase in alkalinity in loamy soil especially in areas adjoining

unlined canals. Canal side plantations will help in mitigating this evil to

some extent.

The Strip Plantations will Serve as an Important Support to

Agriculture through,

(i) Diversion of cow dung to be used as manure,

(ii) Their beneficial effect as windbreaks and shelter belts,

(iii) Restoration of biological balance

(iv) These beneficial role in reducing alkalinity especially along with

canals and drains,

(v) Supplementing fodder supply

(vi) Improvement of economic conditions of the weaker sections which

will enable them to provide better inputs for agriculture.These plantationswill thus help in the all-round development of rural areas.

Avenue planting along the roads has a long history in India. The concept

of avenue planting is as old as the Vedic period .

The Padma Purana mentions that man planting trees by the way side will

enjoy bliss in heaven for as many years as there are fruits, flowers and

leaves on what he has planted. The advent of the Aryans been commonly

associated with the general development of communications in the

country . the planting of trees along the roads. It was, however, duringthe period of Ashok and later during the region of the Moghuls that the

foundation of proper roadside avenues was laid.The Moghuls, however

concentrated on the creation of oases around Saris and Mosques at

intervals of about 5 Kilometers. The Maratha also took up the

construction of roads and planting of trees along them 18-11-2012

afforestation –the need of the day

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