Forest department plans to improve green cover

Kakinada: The Forest department is planning to plant saplings on a massive scale in all 64 mandals in the district. The saplings were distributed to government schools, offices and even private schools with an aim to improve green cover in the district. According to sources, the department wants to extend a helping hand to the district administration to plant 1.5 crore saplings.

Saplings of teak, rosewood, red sanders and other varieties were also being raised in the division. Varieties of saplings of flowering plants and fruit bearing trees from mango and jackfruit to gooseberries will be raised in the nurseries. It is said that the plants will have higher survival rates if planted in monsoon.

The department would also begin planting saplings on roadsides and other available spaces to increase green cover. The saplings in the nurseries have been grown keeping in mind the needs of both farmers on the outskirts of the city and people in the city. District forest officer social forestry AVSRK Appanna suggested that almond, custard apple, guava, jack fruit and tamarind are most suitable to the weather condition of the district.

He also recommended neem, pongamia, raintree, tapioca etc. He suggested that people in the city who have small holdings can plant fruit bearing plants in open spaces. He said people can plant saplings of mango, sapota, guava, papaya, and banana in their backyard. They could avoid saplings of large trees or ornamental trees in backyard, he added.

He said the Forest department is planning to raise nurseries on premises of at least 120 schools in the district and supply the saplings to the local villagers. He said the nurseries would be raised in schools having sufficient open space, water facility and compound wall and added that saplings of shade-giving trees, fruit-bearing trees and flower plants would be raised in the nurseries.