Dwindling Marayur reserve gets a fresh burst of sandalwood saplings

The Forest department has started a replantation drive to repopulate the dwindling sandalwood reserve at Marayur, where sandalwood spike disease (SSD) poses a major threat.

The Forest department has started a replantation drive to repopulate the dwindling sandalwood reserve at Marayur, where sandalwood spike disease (SSD) poses a major threat. In the 1980s, the number of sandalwood trees in the reserve was over 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh. Now, the number has come down to 55,000.

Sandal reserve Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) M.G. Vinod Kumar told The Hindu that the Forest department has launched the augmentation drive. “Over 3,000 sandal trees are dying yearly due to SSD. Some die naturally,” said Mr. Kumar. The department had started various replanting schemes from 1960, but without much success. “In 2020, we started a trial planting method, and within three years it has met with success,” he said.

“In the 2019-20 period we planted around 4,800 new saplings of Santalum album in a area fully covered by net. Usually, wild animals such as rabbits and bison feed on the tender leaves of the saplings. To prevent this, we set up a 10-foot-high iron mesh around the area. The mesh will be removed after 10 years,” said Mr. Kumar.

The official added that the planting process continued in 2021 and 2022. “This year, we will plant around 12,000 new saplings at Nachivayal NSR 1 reserve. The department plans to increase planting from next year,” said Mr. Kumar.

“The saplings will grow into trees in 30 to 40 years. The scheme aims to ensure the availability of natural sandalwood from the reserve even after this period,” said the official.

The Marayur sandalwood reserve, spread around 1,500 hectares, is known for its high-quality sandalwood with high oil content. The estimated value of sandalwood trees in the division is ₹3,000 crore. The sandal division at Marayur is the only place to purchase sandalwood officially in the State.