Land Owners Suggested To Plant Environment Friendly, Fast Growing Sesbania Tree Under Commercial Forestry

Land owners suggested to plant environment friendly, fast growing Sesbania tree under Commercial Forestry

Land owners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa engaged in plantation of fast growing plants for utilization of wood based industries are suggested to grow Sesbania, an environment friendly and rapidly growing plant specie

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th May, 2020 ) :Land owners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa engaged in plantation of fast growing plants for utilization of wood based industries are suggested to grow Sesbania, an environment friendly and rapidly growing plant specie.

"Sesbania Grandiflora is far more beneficial both ecologically and financially than growing of plants like poplar and eucalyptus," claims Muhammad Noman, a Forester presently working with Pakistan Tobacco Company.

"Sesbania is a pea family plant and its leaves are highly nutritious because of symbiotic bacteria in its roots, Noman told APP.

Sesbania is not only environmentally friendly because of being leguminous which has nitrogen fixing capability, but it is also fast growing tree which matures for harvesting within a period of two and a half years to three years, he added.

Talking to APP, Noman said poplar and eucalyptus trees need four to five years to mature while sesbania plant gets ready much earlier for harvesting and utilization by wood based industries like match stick, chick boards etc.

Noman who has also worked with ZRK Group of Industries, biggest MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) industry in South Asia, said ZRK had introduced sesbania for the first in KP by planting it in 2016 over an area of 259 acres in Tehkal area of Peshawar.

The initiative taken under commercial forestry concept was showing very positive results, but become abortive due to objection of local population over growing of forest in their vicinity, citing fear of increase in criminal activity.

Trees planted over an area of two kilometers were cut down prematurely just within midst of its growing period.

However, Noman recalls the results were encouraging as the harvest was around 400 mounds per acre and if had been allowed to mature it would have been grown to the weight of 800 mounds per acre.

If the land owners opted for sesbania plants, it will change the concept of commercial forestry in the region where main focus of growers is on planting of poplar and eucalyptus trees.

He said eucalyptus is suitable only in water logging areas, but sesbania can be planted at any location because of its less demand for water.

The plant is also suitable for Southern region of KP including Kohat, Karak, Lakki, Marwat, Bannu and D.I.Khan where water is less, he added.���� Sharing his experience of growing sesbania in KP for first time, Noman said plant needs care and timely water in initial stage.

He also informed that sesbania is a flower producing plant and therefore growers can also take advantage of beekeeping from the forest.

Nauman was also of the opinion that success of growing sesbania will divert the attention of forest growers in KP and change the pattern of growing poplar and eucalyptus.

He opined that such experiments should be conducted by Forest department especially Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI) for introducing new tree species for plantation which can fulfill needs of wood based industries besides having environmental benefits.

Early harvesting period will also attract more planation which ensues in increasing green cover in the country, he added.