Bamboo plantation drive launched in reserve forest in Keonjhar | Bhubaneswar News
Keonjhar: The Keonjhar forest division has initiated an ambitious bamboo reforestation project in Atei reserve forest of Ghatagaon range, aimed at enhancing wildlife habitat and reducing human-elephant conflict.The forest department has prepared 80,000 bamboo seed balls in the initial phase, with plans to distribute 5 lakh seed balls across the reserve forest during this monsoon.“Our primary objective is to enhance habitat quality and boost herbivore population by increasing bamboo availability, which serves as a crucial food source for elephants and other wildlife,” said Dhanraj H D, divisional forest officer (DFO), Keonjhar.The project was inaugurated by Debabrata Swain, former principal chief conservator of forests and ex-member of Lokayukta Odisha, in collaboration with Brahmakumari Ishwariya Viswavidyalaya, Keonjhar.To ensure the project’s success, the department has sourced 300 kg of salia bamboo seeds from the state silviculturist office in Bhubaneswar. Additionally, forest teams have manually sown bamboo seeds across a three-hectare area near existing meadows and water bodies. These areas will be fenced and protected for three years to ensure proper growth.“The pilot initiative is particularly significant for Keonjhar, which currently lacks natural bamboo coverage,” said the DFO. “By establishing bamboo forests, we aim to reduce human-elephant conflict while promoting biodiversity conservation.”Forest officials expect the project to serve as a model for similar ecological interventions across other divisions in the state.
