The Ripple Effect of Planting Trees

Planting a tree has a ripple effect. We dream of a world in which planting trees and creating forests isn’t just an opportunity, it is an obligation. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.

One of the non-profits we support is Marudam Farm School in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. We support them for both afforestation and education initiatives. They completed planting more than 8000 trees across seven different kinds of terrain there, including eri bunds and upper slopes, hilltops, and plains. The focus of this year's tree planting was to revive the 'Evergreens of the Eastern Ghats'. The farm already has more than 180 native species of trees growing.

Cultivating an Evergreen Patch

Most of the trees on the hill are deciduous and make the terrain look barren in summers. In addition, deciduous species are heavily grazed by spotted deer leaving them stunted. The latter is a good problem to have because it is one of the outcomes of successful afforestation. On the other hand, the evergreen species are fast disappearing as more and more forests are being destroyed. Many of them are already on the red list of the IUCN. So the idea was to plant tough and fast-growing evergreens that will eventually provide the conditions for other species that are found in more mature forests to grow in and eventually regenerate. A part of the strategy is also to planting a small number of saplings of species that are non-existent on the hill in an effort to introduce them to the ecosystem. These were planted in selected places with good soil and canopy conditions with a view to maximise their survival chances.

So far, ~700 saplings have been planted. ~90 saplings belong to species that aren't found on hill at any stage and ~500 belong to species that preexist on the hill in a sapling stage. Some of the species names: Aglaia elaeagnoidea, Drypetes porteri, Drypetes sepiaria, Diospyros ovalifolia, Diospyros chloroxylon, Chionanthes zeylenica, Chionanthes ramniflorus, Neolitsea scrobiculata, Pleurostylia opposita, Streblusasper, Memecylon umbellatum, Heterophragma adenophyllum, Polyalthia suberosa, Polyalthia korinti, Tricalysia, Psydrax, Putranjiva, Diospyros montana, Ficus microcarpa, Pleurospermum alatum, Celtis, Phillipesis, Litsea glutinosa, Nothopegea beddomei, Manilkara roxburghiana, Manilkara hexandra, Pamburus missionis, Polyalthia coffeoides, Miliusa eriocarpa, Miliusa montana, Diospyros affinis, Diospyros melanoxylon, Ficus mysorensis, Ficus annamalayana, Ficus exasperata, Ficus tinctoria, Salvadora persica, Alphonsea sp, among others.

Here's to doing a little bit for a healthy planet.

[Article contributed by Neha Wadikar]