Natural regeneration Shrinivas Sabale Regeneration Renewal of forest

Natural regeneration Shrinivas Sabale

Regeneration • Renewal of forest crop by natural or artificial means • Types of regeneration – Natural regeneration – Artificial regeneration – Natural regeneration supplemented by artificial regeneration

Natural regeneration • Refers to “natural process by which plants replace or re-establish themselves”. • Main sources – Seed – Vegetative parts

Natural regeneration from seeds depends on • • Seed Production Seed disperal Germination Establishment

Seed production • Production of aequate quantities of fertile seed by the trees of the area. • It depends upon – Seed year – Age of trees – Size of crown – Climate – External factors

Seed year

Seed Production • Size of Crown – Bigger the crown –larger the production of seeds – Middle-aged mature tree with well developed crown should be selected • Climate – Heavy storms during pollen dissemination – In hilly areas, trees at lower limit of altitude produces more seeds – Hot dry years are generally followed by heavy seed year – photosynthesis • External factors – Insect attack – Forest fires

Seed Dispersal • Seeds produced by plants are dispersed by many agencies like • • • Wind: Casuarina, Dalbergia etc Water: Teak, mangroves etc Gravity: Oaks, Juglans etc Birds: Mulberry, Prunus etc Animals: Acacia, Prosopis etc

Seed Germination • Lots of seed are destroyed by birds, rodents and insects after dispersal of seed in soil. • It depends on – Internal factors – External factors

Size of the seed

Pollarding • Pollarding is a pruning system involving the removal of the upper branches of a tree, which promotes the growth of a dense head of foliage and branches. • Pollarding is to encourage the tree to produce new growth on a regular basis to maintain a supply of new wood for various purposes, particularly for fuel. • Dried leafy branches are stored as winter fodder for stock. • Depending on the use of the cut material, the length of time between cutting will vary from one year for tree hay or withies, to five years or more for larger timber.

• Species with vigorous growth may be made into pollards. • Many broadleaved trees but few conifers • Removal of the main apical stems releases the growth of many dormant buds under the bark on the lower part of the tree. Examples : broadleaves such as, oaks (Quercus), Maples (A cer), black locust or false acacia, horse chestnuts, mulberries(Morus), willows (Salix), and a few conifers, such as yews (Taxus)