By Bijay Kumar Sah

Dhalkebar, Oct 10 : Some 20,000 saplings have been planted to rehabilitate the 12-hectare river uplift land of Murgia Community Forest in Dhanushadham Municipality-9 of Dhanusha.

Mithila Wildlife Trust Dhanusha and Division Forest Office Dhanusha have planted the saplings on the banks of Murgiyasthi River with the objective of restoring the fallow and river uplands within Chure as natural forest.
Work has been done to reduce the conflict between the Koshi Island Wildlife Sanctuary in the east of Province 2 and the wildlife roaming in the west to Parsa National Park and the communities living in the area.

Chairman of Mithila Wildlife Trust Dhanusha, Dev Narayan Mandal, said that 20,000 saplings have been planted in 12 hectares of river elevation land within the Murgia Community Forest with the objective of conducting community-based conservation-oriented programmes in collaboration with the community.

The Natural Forest Rehabilitation Project is funded by the UK-based Gemma and Chris McGough Charitable Foundation.
Plants of local species including Simal, Sisoo, Masala and Tikal have been planted.

In order to make the plantation successful, all the programmes like fencing, irrigation, milling and replanting have been done, said one of the members of the board. The aim is to plant trees in other areas in collaboration with other community forests on the basis of learning.

Speaking at the tree plantation programme, Suresh Sharma, General Secretary of Province 2 Forest Technical Society and Environmental Engineer, said that tree planting was not just a task but a lifesaver. “If trees are not planted now, future generations will not be able to breathe in fresh air,” he said.

Sunil Kumar Karna, Forest Officer of Division Forest Office, Dhanusha, Binod Nayak, Chairman of Murgia Community Forest Users Committee, and other locals were present on the occasion.