Will help protect forest, its wild inhabitants and gets people closer to nature
The Forest department will soon propose upgradation of Adilabad Harithavanam – 4,000 acres of forest surrounding it – into a National Park. The move will bring in all the support needed not only to protect the forest and its wildlife but to create a facility for people to get familiar with nature.

The patch of forest is located near Mavala village, about six km from Adilabad district headquarters. Already 1,000 acres of this patch abutting the NH-44 have been converted into a conservation zone.

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This bit of miscellaneous teak dominated forest is actually a degraded stretch with natural regeneration forming a major portion of the vegetation. The density of this forest has been calculated at 0.3, which is not very encouraging.

Density of forest is calculated based on the amount of sunlight that filters through the trees. For example, if no sunlight filters in, the density is rated as 1 and if 20 per cent of sunlight filters in, the density is 0.8.

“However, the forest is home to a leopard, scores of nilgais, spotted deer, wild boars and wild dogs, among other species. The beautiful water bodies inside are a strong reason for the wild animals to stick around,”opined District Forest Officer B. Prabhakar as he talked of the need for improved conservation efforts in the area.

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A 5-km track has been developed in the conservation zone which makes monitoring of wild animal movement easy. “A bio fencing using gacha kaya (caesalpinia bonduc) trees is being put in place in order to restrict cattle movement and ensure the place becomes 100 per cent free of biotic pressures,” the DFO revealed.

Moreover, “only those visiting the conservation zone for education purposes will be allowed in. The place will be closed during the monsoon,” he added.

The remaining 3,000 acres of open forest is being delinked from the private lands and agriculture by digging trenches on the periphery. This patch will obviously be taken up for development after the Union government approves the proposal.

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Though the public park component of the Harithavanam is yet to be formally inaugurated, it is already popular among locals. Scores of families visit it everyday, the rush being heavy on weekends. #KhabarLive