6. 5. 1520 / WB / 98 Date : May 22, 1998

 

 

CIRCULAR No. 7 / 98

 

[ This circular issued by me as Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation for raising Eucalyptus Clonal Plantation successfully. These are equally relevant to Planting Programmes of the Forest Department.

 

It does not require any mention that on only one factor the Foresters do not have control in raising a successful plantation is getting the rainfall in appropriate time during the planting programme. This can be eliminated by keeping a small provision for watering to the plants in a planned way limited to 10-20% of the planted seedlings.

 

The Conservators of Forests are requested to go through this circular very carefully, make a through review of the existing schedules of operations of different plantation, replace a few not so useful operations by a provision for watering to limited number of plants, keeping the unit cost a the same level.

 

This was done by me as Vide-Chairman & Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation for Eucalyptus Clonal Project with a very high level success. Vagaries of monsoon could be mitigated. This is a great challenge, once it is accomplished it will be source of immense satisfaction to us in achieving our set goals.]

 

To

The Regional Manager

Hyderabad / Rajahmundry / Nellore.

 

Sub : Planting Plan – Preparation of planting plan for Eucalyptus clonal plantations – Implmentation – GuidlinesIssued – Reg .

 

Ref : This office Ref. No. 6.5.1520 / WB – 98 dt. 50-5-98.

 

The subject of preparation of planting plan for each site with Eucalyptus clonal plants has been discussed by me at all the Regional Managers and quite a few Divisional Managers on several occasions in my office and during my field inspections.

 

Since the subject is very important, it is better to communicate a brief but comprehensive outline on the subject so that the field staff is in a better position to realize the importance of it.

 

Planting plant is basically the management of the Planting programme of an area with an objective of completing the planting work within the prescribed time limit by making the best use of men and material in order to derive the maximum benefit of the situation wit optimum expenditure. Our objective is to get the maximum utilization of the monsoon rains in the year of planting and higher survival percentage after planting.

While preparing the planting plan, the following points are to be noted first :

 

1.      The name of the Field Officer incharge of the Plantation ( Dy Plantation Manager / Plantation Manager ).

2.      Location ( name ) of the site and extent. Number of seedlings required for planting .

3.      Date by which the site preparation( dozing, ripping ) SMC works to be completed :

For South West Monsoon Zone 31/5

For Norht East Monsoon Zone 30/6

4.      Date by which pitting should be completed :

For South West Monsoon Zone 7/6

For North East Monsoon Zone 7/7

5.      Transportation of Seedlings from Nursery to Planting site to be completed by the end of 1st spell of monsoon i.e., for South West Monsoon zone by 10th to 15th June, for North East Monsoon zone by 7th July ( not corresponding to North East Monsoon ).

An exercise should be done properly to arrive at the number of vehicles and trips required to transport the seedlings to the planting site by the end of the 1st spell of monsoon i.e., 10th to 15th June in South West Monsoon zone and by 7th July in North East Monsoon zone.

6.      Broadcast sowing of the seed of Nitrogen Fixing Annual ( Dhaincha ) should be completed by the end of the first spell of monsoon.

 

Planting of seelings should be taken up after the first spell of monsoon when the soil has received sufficient moisture of sustain the seedlings. This date may vary from 10th to 15th June in South West Monsoon area but in North East Monsoon area where the monsoon starts around 15/9, the planting programme should be taken up by 1st week of July and continue till the end of July taking the advantage of the fact that on an average rainfall received in June, July and August is 75mm and 120mm respectively.

 

It should be noted that in North East Monsoon area it may not be possible to complete planting by end of July. However, maximum target should be achieved by end of July and the balance area should be planted from 15th September onwards when North East Monsoon breaks in and completed before the end of September. This precaution is necessary as there is possibility of a long dry spell in August that continues till the middle of September when the North East Monsoon starts.

 

7.      Once the planting is taken up after the first spell of monsoon, which is over by say 15th of June in South West Monsoon zone, the planting should be carried out in a manner so as to complete by 30th June by following a well planned schedule. The important point is that once the planting has been started, it should not be stopped for want of rains. Planting should be continued at the same level for 4/5 days. If no rains is received during the period of 4/5 days after starting of the planting programme, planting should be continued but the extent of the planting should be reduced to half for next 3 to 4 days and after that, even less is dry spell continues. Once the rain is received, planting programme should be doubled or trebled so as to complete the target by 30th June positively.

8.      In the schedule of operations, we have kept the limited provision for watering in the year of raising to meet the exigency when there is a prolonged dry spell immediately after planting. Seedling should be watered once only on the 7th day of planting if ther is no rain for 6 day after planting. In case the planting has commenced on 16th June, and ther is no rain till 23rd June, the area planted on the 17th June should watered on 24th June and so on if the dry spell continues.

In our estimate, watering may be necessary at the most to cover 20% of the total planted seedlings. By restructuring the schedule of operation, it has been to possible to keep the provision for watering within the existing unit cost. The advantage of this provision is simply enormous as it gives a lot of confidence in taking up planting programme continuously without waiting for raily days; planting can be completed within specific time so as to get the maximum benefit of monsoon for the plantation and get higher survuval percentage by watering.

9.      Following example discussed as an exercise in order to illustrate the above points clearly for South West Monsoon zone. For North East Monsoonzone similar exercise can be done on the same line.

 

Example :

Area : 50 ha. South West Monsoon Zone

First Spell Of Monsoon Over : 15 / 6

Planting Starts : 16 / 6

To Be Completed On Or Before : 30 / 6

Exercise ( Plan )

a)      The goal is to complete the planting on or before 30/6.

b)     Planting has to be taken up from 16/6 and continued till it is over.

c)      Since the planting target is 50 ha. And the number of days is 15, the average is 3 to 4 ha. Per day.

d)     A person is to be specially engaged for 15 days for collection of tubets after planting to account to Deputy Plantation Manager / Plantation Manager on the condition that shortage will be recovered for his remuneration.

A table may be prepared as given below showing the rainy day by ‘R’ and non rainy day by ‘NR’ against the dates indicating also the extent of area to be planted for each day :-

 

Date : 16/6 17/6 18/6 19/6 20/6 21/6 22/6 23/6 24/6 25/6

Rainy : NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR

Non-Raily

 

Extent :4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 5 5

Covered

By Planting

 

Watering- - - - - - 4 4 - -

 

The above table shown an area coverage of 34 ha. Only and the balance 16 ha. Can be planted within 3 to 4 days after 25th June, i.e., target may be achieved by 28th / 29th June.

 

The Regional Managers / Divisional Managers are requested to note that at every stage a lot of thinking is required to prepare the planting plan properly and slikk to implement it successfully.

 

The yare requested to guide the field staff for the preparation of the Planting Plan after holding a detailed discussion with them and see that over a period of time, the practice is totally internalized in our planting activity.

 

Sd/-

( S. K. DAS )

Vice Chairman & Managing Director

 

Copy to all Divisional Managers

Copy to all Plantation Managers through their Divisional Managers.