RECLAIMING GREEN COVER

About 40 Jharkhand villages are using seed balls to grow trees to expand the forest cover, writes Mukesh Ranjan

- Mukesh Ranjan

THE Jharkhand Forest Department, in collaboration with the Pradan Foundation, has taken the initiative to boost the forest cover by planting an increasing number of fruitbearing trees. As part of this effort, seed balls are thrown into the jungles by the villagers and allowed to germinate naturally, which later take the shape of trees. This is a community-led initiative and has been adopted by forest dwellers in six out of 12 blocks of Gumla Gumla, Ghaghra, Raidih, Palkot, Basia and Kamdara, involving 1,000 villagers in 40 villages.

-Seed balls serve as a powerful tool for spreading native plants in forests. These compact spheres protect seeds, keeping them in place until they receive the necessary water for growth, typically through rainfall.

The clay and soil shield the seeds from heavy winds and the sun's heat, and the hard clay casing deter animals from consuming the seeds.