Native trees to get a fresh lease of life

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, August 5, 2015

Scientists at the Kerala Forest Research Institute at Peechi are gearing up for a programme aimed at protecting native trees from the threat posed by the proliferation of invasive plant species. Designed to perpetuate the memory of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the programme will focus on preserving big trees in public places by removing the invasive plants threatening their existence.

“Many such giant trees along the roadsides or in temple grounds can be found completely smothered by creepers or plants,” says KFRI Registrar T.K. Dhamodaran. “Though research on invasive species has picked up momentum, there has been little or no effort to conserve the trees threatened by these plants,” he said.

Mooted at a remembrance meeting held at KFRI last week, the programme is envisaged as a tribute to the late President who had proposed a national level mission to plant a billion trees. It involves manual removal of the invasive species and application of weedicide to prevent subsequent infestation.

The pilot phase will cover Thrissur and neighbouring districts. KFRI is planning to seek technical advice from the Fire and Rescue Services and the Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology under the Kerala Agricultural University to procure equipment like the skylift and safety harness needed for the project.

“It requires some amount of skill to remove the weeds from the tall trees and apply weedicide. Considering the paucity of skilled workers, we are thinking of setting up a labour bank. That way, the programme will also provide job opportunities at the local level,” said Dr.Dhamodaran, who is attached to the Wood Science and Technology division at KFRI.