The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Call to remove invasive acacia trees from Tiruvannamalai hill

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Tamil Nadu

Call to remove invasive acacia trees from Tiruvannamalai hill

Staff Reporter

The spread of this tree is detrimental to eco system and indigenous flora

Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

Threat:Australian acacia, an invasive tree species found in Tiruvannamalai hill.

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Normally, environmentalists would give their voice for planting trees and not for cutting them. But an invasive tree species, Acacia holosericea, planted in Tiruvannamalai hill several years ago attract their ire.

Colonies of these trees stand out among thick vegetation found in the southern slope of the hill as they have silvery phyllodes (flattened leaf stalk that looks like and acts as leaf). Real leaves of these trees are less in numbers and are short lived. Environmental activists, feel that the spread of this tree is detrimental to eco system and indigenous flora.

V. Arun, Managing Trustee of ‘Forest Way', an NGO that works for afforestation in Tiruvannamalai hill, told TheHindu “Acacia holosericea may be good in its native land, Australia, however, it becomes invasive in exotic conditions, like in India.

It causes several problems. First, it spreads fast and dominate indigenous flora. Given a chance, it would eat into bio resources of the hill to a great extent. Second, phyllode litters strewn on the earth will not decompose easily, would not allow other plants to germinate from underneath and may contribute to easy forest fire. Hence these trees should be removed from forest, before its domination becomes irreversible as in Kerala and some other countries,” he said. “It was grown in large numbers in Auroville. After it proved itself to be an invasive species people started destroying it” he added.

R. Kumar, a young bird watcher and painter, said that during seasons, parrots come in large numbers to feed on its seeds. A scientist who has studied bio-diversity problems of this region and works with a premier research institute said on condition of anonymity that the birds eating the fruits or seeds of an invasive plant means increased risk of its vigorous spread.

Kumar Ambayiram, a green activist who mobilised people against iron ore mining project in this region, termed planting of this tree as “a path to hell but paved with good intentions”. “People planted these trees about two decades ago, to increase tree cover. Then, there was little awareness of its dangers. Forest Department should remove them at least now,” he demanded. When contacted for his comment A.V. Venkatachalam, Conservator of Forest, Vellore, told TheHindu, that Acacia holosericea was invasive indeed and that should be problematic. “If we find these species to be there in the forest we can remove them,” he added.

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