Mindless afforestation by removing native trees from natural forest

Alien trees replace eco-friendly native varieties in the hill area at Madhabchhara of Moulvibazar district as forest department, ignoring the negative impact on environment and ecology, is leasing out a huge portion of the area for afforestation by influential locals.Photo: STAR

Around 70 hectares of hill area of Madhabchhara are being brought under social afforestation programme by removing native eco-friendly trees from the natural forest.
Sources said the forest department has leased out the land where beneficiaries have planted different alien species of trees like acacia, mahogany and epil epil.
Locals and environmentalists have expressed their concerns at the programme and questioned the necessity of a man-made forest by clearing the existing natural forest.
Sources at the forest department in Srimongal said, there is a plan to bring over 1,000 hectares of forestlands under the social afforestation programme in the district. The planned programme will be implemented gradually in Madhabchhara forest beat, Juri forest beat, Puthichhara forest beat, Adampur forest beat, Kamarchhara forest beat, Satgaon forest beat and Bhatera forest beat.
Forest department's Baralekha office sources said the afforestation programme started first on 30 hectares of land of Madhabchhara hill in 2005-06. Different kinds of vegetables, fruits, timber and herbal trees have been planted on 20 out of 30 hectares of land. A total of 60 beneficiaries have been looking after the land.
In June this year, the forest department leased out another 70 hectares for a highest period of 40 years to 160 beneficiaries under the programme.
A forest department official wishing anonymity however said the department is not using the leased out hilly land and there is no plan to use it in near future. The area has been brought under the programme for benefit of common people, the official added.
Talking to The Daily Star, eminent nature lover Dwijen Sharma said the meaning of social afforestation in the natural forest is nothing but destruction of the environment. "Steps should be taken for regeneration of the natural forest. Otherwise, the ecosystem of the forest will be destroyed inviting natural disaster," said Sharma.
Alien trees are responsible for decrease in land fertility, he said, adding that artificial forest is not helpful for ensuring a sound environment.
Abdus Shahid, a beneficiary of the afforestation programme in Madhabchhara hill, said wild animals look for safe shelter when anyone enters the forest. "But there is not a single place now where wild animals can hide themselves. It has made the life of wild animals difficult,” said Shahid.
"They have destroyed the nature in the name of social afforestation," he said adding he has taken one hectare of land for 40 years lease at Madhabchhara hill and planted saplings of acacia and other trees.
During a recent visit to Madhabchhara forest, this correspondent witnessed that afforestation is going on in hill area. Vegetables are also being cultivated on the high land. Snakes, spiders and wild animals have become rare in Madhabchhara hill, which was once rich in wildlife.
“In our early life, tigers and bears roamed in the jungle. Locals never entered there, fearing attacks by the wild animals. Only a small number of wild fowls and monkeys are there now,” said Abu Taher, 50, of village Gharnagar near the forest.
Taher also planted around 5,000 trees on a half hectare of land in the forest under the social afforestation programme 3-4 years ago.
According to environmentalists, proper training on ecosystem is a must for those involved in the afforestation programme. But no such initiative has yet been taken, they said.
They said experts opinion should also be followed before deciding to create artificial forest in natural forestland.