Adopt the Right Tree Planting Method to Ensure Biodiversity

Monsoon clouds are gathering in our skies and it’s going to rain any moment. The arrival of the monsoon is the most awaited weather phenomenon across India since it brings much-needed relief from the blazing summer heat. The dull brown arid scenery gives way to lush green surroundings everywhere bringing such joy to all of us.

While commoners revel in the rains and enjoy the break, eco-conscious citizens have a lot to do during the rainy season. Particularly when the world environment day arrives, environmental activists pick up the pickaxe and showels to begin their digging and tree planting activities.

Fortunately, due to rising awareness among commoners, all concerned citizens are joining hands in this noble cause every year. However, unfortunately some major misconceptions have crept into our environmental activism, which tend to undo all the good done by tree planting volunteers.

Choose the right species

This is the most controversial aspect of tree plantation that plagues every campaign. Over the past few decades, both governmental agencies and non-profit organizations took up afforestation programs without selecting the right tree species for a region. This problem was further exacerbated by vast-scale mono-cultivation of a single tree species with high commercial value on either barren lands or fertile lands.

For example, mono-cultivation of acacia, eucalyptus and teak trees are surely not ideal for Indian tropical conditions. If they are planted arid barren lands, they can provide some benefits. Most of these trees are mono-cultivated on fertile agricultural lands, agro-forestry and forest reserves. Forest lands in Kerala and Karnataka states have suffered drastically due to such mono-cultivation activities. So please check the right tree species to plant in your region before beginning your tree plantation drive.

Ensure Biodiversity

When we choose to mono-cultivate a single tree species, we are harming the region’s biodiversity. A typical ecology of a forest includes a diverse range of flora and fauna right from trees, shrubs, birds, insects, mammals and reptiles. This may also include a water body containing aquatic plants, birds, amphibians, etc. Only when we preserve a complete ecosystem, we can ensure a self-sustaining micro-environment.

To ensure this, we need to choose a diverse range of tree species for our tree plantation activities. While there are thousands of tree species to select from, ecological experts have chosen a few ideal species suitable for most Indian climatic conditions. Some of the most adaptable tree species are:

• Banyan — a huge evergreen tree with aerial roots that is ideal for parks and open spaces
• Neem — the most drought-resistant species ideal for arid lands
• Pongamia — a deciduous tree noted for its lush green canopy in spring
• Pipal — a large tree with religious significance planted near temples
• Gulmohar — a large tree noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of orange flowers
• Mango — an ideal orchard tree that yields a wide variety of delicious fruits
• Jamoon — a tall evergreen tree that yields a dark delicious fruit

Adopt the right tree planting method

There are various ways of planting trees: you can disperse seeds, grow saplings or create seed balls or do tree grafting. Care needs to be taken in each of these tree planting methods so that you can ensure tree survival. Ideally, there should be atleast 60% survival of the planted trees in a particular area, but that needs a lot of effort.

1. Seed dispersal — You just have to collect tree seeds and throw them in open spaces during the rainy season. Evidently, this tree planting method has the lowest survival rate of just 10% or less, because the seed has no nutrients available to boost germination and growth.
2. Seed ball campaign — You need to collect water, clay, compost and seeds. Mix the clay, water and compost and knead it into a paste. Then you need to make a table-tennis ball sized sphere where you place the seed in the middle and envelope it. Once this seed ball is dry it is ready to thrown in open spaces before the rains. However, the survival rate of seed balls is just 20-30% so it is not advisable for all regions. Please take expert guidance.
3. Sapling plantation — This is the most ideal tree planting method since it ensures proper nourishment of the young tree sapling. Seeds are germinated in a mixiture of red soil and compost placed inside a small polythene cover. These saplings are transplanted into a small ditch dug in the ground before the rains. If taken care of, these transplanted saplings have a survival rate of 50-60% in Indian conditions.

Don’t fall for carbon offsetting

There are many global corporate social responsibility programs and non-profit organizations that promote tree planting as an ideal carbon offsetting activity. However, carbon sequestration through nature requires enormous tree plantations. Experts indicate even though trees capture huge amounts of carbon, they need to keep growing for a long time to be effective carbon stores.

Old-growth forests absorb more CO2 than newly planted trees, which makes this form of offset more potent per acre than new tree planting. Preserving tropical forests, not only sequesters carbon dioxide, but also protects wildlife biodiversity and balances our planet’s ecological systems. It also confers social benefits to the regions that are compensated for protecting these forests and keeping carbon stored in trees. They get to benefit monetarily from their forest resources without having to exploit them — a win for everybody!