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News: The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has sought permission to fell nearly 150,000 sal trees after a severe sal borer infestation in Dindori district.
About Sal (Shorea robusta) Tree
- Sal (Shorea robusta) is one of the oldest and strongest tree species and is an important forest tree of northern India.
- Family: It belongs to the Dipterocarpaceae family.
- Distribution: In India, Sal is naturally found in Uttarakhand, the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal.
- The tree is also native to Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, and across the Himalayan regions.
- Key Aspects:
- Importance: Sal provides valuable timber, seed fat used in chocolate manufacturing, and non-timber forest products that support rural livelihoods.
- Special Feature: It is known as the “Sentinel of the Forests” because it can survive for many years and withstand environmental changes.
- Climate Requirement: It grows well in a warm and humid climate, light loamy soil with good drainage, and annual rainfall of about 1,000–3,000 mm.
- Life Span: The tree can live for nearly 100 years and does not require frequent watering or care.
About Sal Borer Infestation
- Caused by: The infestation is caused by the sal borer, a dark brown beetle of the order Coleoptera and family Cerambycidae.
- Nature of Damage: It is the most destructive insect pest of sal forests and damages both standing trees and freshly felled timber.
- Pest Outbreak Cyclical: Major outbreaks occur naturally in a cycle of about 30 years, with the last major outbreak reported in 1997.
- Symptoms of Infection: Sawdust-like material appears around the trunks of infected sal trees.
- The borer first attacks weak and unhealthy trees, while adult insects are often seen gathering around household lights.
- India Current Scenario:
- Region of Infection: The current sal borer outbreak has affected Dindori district and the Amarkantak region of neighbouring Anuppur district in Madhya Pradesh.
- Government Action: The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has sought permission from the Central Government to fell 147,380 infested sal trees in Dindori
- It is using the ‘trap tree’ method to control the spread of the pest.
- Community Participation: The Forest Department has set up insect collection centres and is paying Rs 2 per insect.
