Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 27
The state’s forest department today added another feather to its cap as Minister for Forest and Environment Kheto inaugurated a Central Forest Nursery here this morning. This nursery is located within the area of Divisional Forest Office, Kohima. Exuding high expectation on the nursery, the minister hoped that it would serve well its purpose and meet the aspiration of the general public.
Having realized the economic value and environment role of trees, people of Nagaland have during the last few decades brought large areas under forest plantations.
The momentum is still on, thereby, creating a large demand for forest nursery seedlings both by private and government organizations. Success of forest plantation depends on quality of planting materials used, time of planting and subsequent maintenance.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish nurseries in every district headquarters for production of high quality fast growing local species to meet the growing demand of the people” department officials said adding that the establishment of Central Forest Nursery at Kohima is a step in this direction.
The Nursery aims to establish permanent infrastructure for production of forest nursery seedlings, raise quality planting materials for plantation by private and government organizations through use of modern technology such as root trainers, springler irrigations, bio-fertilizers, vegetative propagations etc, serve as demonstration nursery for Joint Forest Management, committees, local entrepreneurs etc. in production of quality planting materials, improve skill and capacity of Kohima Forest Division field staff in production of quality forestry saplings and contribute to forest cover the of the state to achieve the target of 66 per cent geographic area under effective tree cover.
The Nursery which spreads about 2 hectares house different species of forest nursery seedlings like, Lali, bamboo, Eucalyptus, Hollock, Cherry, Wild Apple, Salix, Alder, Parkia, Ficus, Local wild fruits, walnut etc.
Major infrastructure of the nursery mainly, protection wall, permanent and temporary nursery beds, footsteps, input storage shed, tapping of irrigation water etc. has been done under 12 Finance Commission Award 2005-06, while construction of germination chamber, agro-net shed, root trainers nursery, installation of springler irrigation and water tanks and establishment of the nursery etc. has been done under High Tech Nursery from NAEB, MoEF, Government of India.
“It is hope that people of Nagaland, especially forest department staff, JFMCs and residents of Kohima town in particular will be benefited immensely from this nursery,” department source said.
Morung Express News
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