Palmyra Groves To Form Natural Shield for Andhra Coast
With the palmyra fruit season beginning, the forest department has so far collected 13 lakh seeds with the participation of rural communities and various organisations.
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has launched a drive to collect and plant palmyra seeds as part of the second tier of the proposed three-tier Great Green Wall along the state’s coastline, aimed at creating a natural barrier against cyclonic winds and protecting coastal villages.
Deputy Chief Minister and forest and environment minister Pawan Kalyan has proposed establishing palmyra groves across 5,499 hectares along the coast, requiring nearly 55 lakh seeds. With the palmyra fruit season beginning, the forest department has so far collected 13 lakh seeds with the participation of rural communities and various organisations. Of these, 1.65 lakh seeds have already been planted with the involvement of the panchayat raj and revenue departments, school students and local residents.
Officials said they were determined to achieve the target set by Pawan during the current season. Palmyra trees have been prioritised for the second tier of the Great Green Wall as they can withstand harsh coastal conditions, including saline water, strong winds, sandy and saline soils and coastal alluvial terrain.
Their height and sturdy structure enable them to act as a natural windbreak during cyclones, while their strong root systems help prevent soil erosion. The trees also support biodiversity by providing habitats for birds and reptiles and are resilient to climate-change impacts.
Mangrove forests constitute the first tier of the Great Green Wall, while palmyra groves form the second.
The Deputy Chief Minsiter has urged people, educational institutions, government and private organisations and NGOs to actively participate in the collection, planting and protection of palmyra saplings. He called for scientific planting at suitable coastal locations and urged residents to protect emerging saplings, particularly by preventing cattle from grazing on them.
He said the Great Green Wall initiative, along with the target of achieving 50 per cent green cover and wider ecological restoration and conservation of natural resources, should become a people’s movement to secure a healthier environment for future generations.