Social forestry

Social forestry extends tree cultivation onto land outside formally designated forests, managed sustainably by local communities, with goals spanning carbon sequestration, climate-change mitigation, depollution, forest restoration and indirect rural employment. In Tamil Nadu this took concrete form through the Tree Cultivation in Private Lands scheme (2007-08 to 2011-12), which combined block planting and inter-crop planting of profitable species such as Teak, Casuarina, Ailanthus and Silver Oak on farmland, with free seedling supply for bund planting. Tank-foreshore plantations became a significant firewood source for the state, and a network of 32 forestry extension centres was set up to provide ongoing technical support for rural tree-growing, including supply of quality seedlings (bamboo, casuarina, teak, neem, Melia dubia, grafted tamarind and nelli) and awareness training/camps. Because trees grown on such public and private land …