Context
The Centre has permitted the felling of over 1.56 lakh sal trees affected by sal borer in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori and Anuppur districts, including the Amarkantak region. The measure seeks to control the spread of the pest, with Karanjia Range in Dindori being the worst affected.
Explanation
- Sal (Shorea robusta) is a large deciduous tree native to the Indian subcontinent and an important species of tropical moist and dry deciduous forests.
- Sal heartwood borer (Hoplocerambyx spinicornis) is a destructive insect pest whose larvae bore into sal trees, weakening and potentially killing them.
- Major outbreaks can spread rapidly when large numbers of susceptible or weakened trees are available.
- Trap-tree method involves using selected sal trees to attract adult borers, which are subsequently collected and destroyed.
- Madhya Pradesh has also incentivised local communities to collect adult borers, combining pest control with community participation.
Amarkantak, located in the Maikal Hills, is an important watershed and the source region of the Narmada and Son rivers.
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