Rotary creates Miyawaki forest in Salem

In a big push to social forestry, 30 Rotary clubs in Salem, RID 2982, Tamil Nadu, have planted over 15,000 saplings to create a Miyawaki forest over an acre in the midst of a residential area under a town panchayat.

“The forest will include a walkers’ track on its boundary. The Miyawaki project costing ₹2 lakh will enhance the water table in this area, thus providing a secure source of ground water to 200 families,” says R Mangeshwar, president, RC Salem South. The project is implemented with the support of Salem Forest Department, ­Kannankurichi town panchayat and G2 Nursery.

Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build dense, native forests. It involves planting dozens of native species in the same area, and becomes maintenance-free after the first three years.

DG K S Venkatesan inaugurated the project in the presence of R ­Murugan, divisional forest officer, Salem, and S Arumuganainar, executive officer, town panchayat. The inaugural was organised by Rotarians Tholkapia Arasu, popularly known as the green crusader, and
|C Balakrishnan along with six assistant governors and district officials. This tree plantation drive at this town panchayat being implemented jointly by the Salem clubs come under the district’s flagship Dasavatharam ­project. The extensive green drive will enhance the public image of Rotary in this village.