Nauni/Solan: Plantation drives during the monsoon season are common. Most of the organisations and NGOs conduct plantation drives, but most of the plants don’t survive.  

Noted Agri scientist and Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni Vice-Chancellor Dr Parvinder Kaushal said that “it was important that we choose location-specific tree varieties during plantation drives so that they can grow properly in their local environment and high survivability can also be ensured.”

Dr. Kaushal, while addressing the Dept of Silviculture and Agroforestry during Van Mahotsav at the university campus on Thursday, said that in a state like Himachal, it was important that we carry out mass plantations in the winter months along with the rainy season.

“Many fruit trees can be planted in the winter months and such activities on a mass scale must be promoted,” he further added.

He called for promoting large-scale planting of wild species of fruits in the forests so that the animals can be provided food in their natural habitat. He said that the university will develop a plantation schedule for different seasons so that the green cover of the university can be increased.

During the State Bank of India sponsored Van Mahotsav event, over 500 plants of bamboo, Bauhinia Variegate (Kachnar), and Grewia Optiva (Beul) were planted. In the coming week, over 1,600 plants of different species will be planted on the university campus.