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.
