Kasaragod: On World Environment Day, the Kerala Forest Department launched an intensified tree-felling operation in Kasaragod district, ironically focusing on removing acacia trees. The department cites the acacia's detrimental impact on the ecosystem and groundwater levels as the reason for this large-scale removal.

However, residents point out that the forest authorities have an uphill task ahead, as acacia grows in a much wider area in the district than official estimates. The Forest Department had launched the effort to fell acacia trees in 2023, when it was estimated to cover 180 hectares in Kasaragod. At the same time, environmental activists say that this figure relates to the area where the species was planted initially and the tree has now spread to more places.

Meanwhile, as per official data, acacia on 105 hectares has been chopped till now and procedures have been completed to cut the tree on another 23 hectares, leaving 60 hectares to be felled. The total forest area of Kasaragod district is 12,200 hectares.

According to environmental activists, acacia has spread widely to areas outside the Forest Department’s plantations, mainly on adjacent private land. However, the Forest Department lacks data on these trees.

Though the government announced a project to plant local species of trees on land owned by it from where acacia was felled, it has not been implemented. The Forest Department has also initiated ‘eco-restoration’, under which fruit trees are planted in areas from where acacia trees were cut. Officials say that one lakh trees have been planted under this project and more saplings would be planted after the World Environment Day as part of the Without Project. “A total of 15,000 seed balls have been arranged for the purpose and it is planned to plant 50,000 saplings by August,” said an official.