World Forestry Day Celebrated At PAU
Author(s): City Air NewsLudhiana, March 25, 2016: The Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) celebrated World Forestry Day to raise awareness among current and future generations about the importance...
Ludhiana, March 25, 2016: The Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) celebrated World Forestry Day to raise awareness among current and future generations about the importance of all types of forests and trees outside forests. To commemorate this day, an interactive session of students and forestry faculty with progressive forestry farmers and experts was organized.
Dr RIS Gill, Head, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, told the students that the World Forestry Day celebration is based on the theme “Forests and Water.” The day aims at creating awareness on how forests are vital to the planet’s supply of freshwater, which is essential for life.
Dr D.S. Sidhu, former Head, Forestry Department, discussed the importance of using superior germplasm in the ultimate success of plantation forestry. Further, he shed light on the techniques of poplar pruning to minimize wood loss and improve the merchantable quality of forest produce.
Mr Hardish Singh, a progressive poplar grower from Alowal village, discussed the importance of regular irrigation, fertilization, water channels and division of land area as per rotation age to get regular income from farms and to cover a period of recession in wood market. He highlighted the importance of agro-forestry, especially, for the small farmers for getting crops as well as trees simultaneously on farmlands. He also discussed the comparative economics of growing trees and traditional agriculture crops.
Another progressive farmer, Mr Avtar Singh Tung is doing farming of eucalyptus. He encouraged the students that anything could be achieved with commitment, dedication, sincerity and hard work. He has developed a lush green eucalyptus plantation on about 100 acres of earlier leftover area of sand dunes.
An important point which came out of deliberations was that no tree grower ever committed suicide. As per the farmers, tree growers always have some produce on their farm to sell in the market and tree component is non-perishable, the sale of which can be adjusted depending on the market price. Moreover, tree growers are indirectly serving the society by helping to increase area under forest cover, which is very much required to maintain the ecological balance.