Rishikesh, The Uttarakhand government has sought permission from the Union environment ministry to fell over 19,000 Sal trees within the Dehradun Forest Division that are damaged by the the larvae of Sal borers and conduct a “Tree Trap Operation”, the state’s Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said.
After receiving reports regarding an infestation of Sal borer larvae a pest for Sal trees in the Thano, Asarori, and Jhajra ranges of the forest division, the Forest Department contacted the Forest Research Institute , he said.
Subsequently, an expert team from the FRI identified 19,170 Sal trees as being affected by the larvae. The forest minister noted that some of these trees have withered right up to their canopy level and will therefore need to be felled.
A ‘Tree Trap Operation’ would be conducted on the remaining trees during the monsoon season. According to experts, Hoplo larvae bore into the roots of Sal trees and tunnel through the xylem located within the trunk, thereby hollowing out the tree from the insid. Consequently, the trees eventually wither and die.
In a ‘Tree Trap Operation,’ a few healthy Sal trees are felled and cut into four-foot-long logs, which are then placed in rainwater. The scent emanating from these Sal logs attracts the Hoplo insects. These insects are then captured using tweezers and dropped into kerosene, which kills them. This is a large-scale operation that frequently utilises the assistance of women’s self-help groups.
According to experts, the fact that such a large number of trees in the Forest Division have been affected by the ‘Hoplo’ pest is a matter of grave concern from the perspective of ecological balance.
They noted that the pest serves as a natural food source for woodpeckersand hence help preventing attacks on Sal trees.
An ‘Hoplo’ pest infestation previously occurred in the Thano Range of the forest division during the early 1990s.
Experts also questions if disruption in the local ecosystem or the effects of climate change may have played a role in the extensive damage to Sal trees. Uttarakhand experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall last year, and according to experts, excessive precipitation is considered to be one of several factors responsible for the ‘Hoplo’ infestation.
The minister, too, emphasised the need for a comprehensive scientific study to investigate the causes behind the ‘Hoplo’ outbreak and to identify potential solutions.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
