Observations on Survival and Growth of Different Shola Species under a Shola Afforestation Programme in Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu

Sholas, which represent a unique vegetation complex, are very rich in biodiversity and support a high degree of endemism are known for their intrinsic values in terms of providing sustained water supply in the hills. They occupy the upper plateaus of the Nilgiris, Anamalais, Upper Palnis and Tirunelveli hills of Tamil Nadu. Shola forests faced severe stress from biotic interferences like collection of firewood and fodder, recurrent man made fires in surrounding grasslands and conversion into exotic plantations, which caused their depletion. Tamil Nadu Forest Department initiated several programmes for the resurrection of Sholas by way of fencing the pocket Sholas, maintenance of fire lines along the Shola fringes, regeneration of Shola species etc. Initial attempts of Shola regeneration using wildlings met with little success. The Forest Department in Nilgiris District perfected the nursery techniques for over 50 Shola species by mid-1990s and simultaneously took up artificial regeneration of Shola vegetation in the degraded Shola patches and old Bluegum and Wattle plantations in Nilgiris. In the present study, survival status and growth rate of 16 different Shola species planted in an old Bluegum area in Longwood Shola of Nilgiris North Division has been studied. The study results provide information about the suitability of certain species over the others and the desired mix of species for achieving better success in the artificial regeneration programmes with Sholas in Nilgiris.