Kerala to implement extensive afforestation in coastal areas

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government is eyeing the acceleration of afforestation drive in coastal and disaster-prone areas in the state as part of the disaster mitigation initiatives.

Steps would be taken to erect ‘bio walls’ on the fragile areas by planting native tree saplings suiting each locality, foreseeing the possible natural disasters there.

The unique afforestation and disaster mitigation drive are implemented as part of the seven-day ‘forest festival’ organised by the Forest Department from July 1, official sources said.

One of the most significant projects among them would be the state-wide expansion of the ‘casuarina tree garden’ project, successfully implemented by the Forest department in coastal Alappuzha to check sea erosion and the impact of rough sea, they said.

Tree saplings and bamboo would be extensively planted along the banks of water bodies across the state to protect the shores, the officials added.

Nine new ‘nagara vanangal’ (urban forests) and 26 ‘vidhya vanangal’, the mini forest models created in school campuses, would be completed during the period of the forest festival this year, a department statement said.

The revival of experimental forests, planting of tree saplings in tribal colonies, afforestation in institutions and shola and grassland restoration would also be implemented as part of the annual festival this year.

Over 5.5 lakh tree saplings would be distributed for planting across the state to mark the occasion, it said.

Forest Minister AK Saseendran would inaugurate the forest festival and release the policy document with regard to the initiatives at a function to be held in Thrissur tomorrow, the statement added.