2008-'09 - Kerala Forest Research Institute

Annual Report 2008-09
adopted for its multiplication. Planting seedlings of the species in its natural habitat,
in botanical gardens and including the species in the rehabilitation programmes
are suggested for the recovery of the species.
Establishment of an Arboretum of rare and characteristic species of the moist
deciduous forests of Kerala. KFRI Research Report No. 319 (Nair, K.K.N.,
Yesodharan, K. and Unni, K.K., 2009)
A view of the Arboretum
The Arboretum was established in the main campus of Kerala Forest Research
Institute at Peechi. The area is covered by moist deciduous forests represented by
34 species and 726 individual trees. By supplementing the existing stand by filling
tree gaps present, the live collection was maintained. Seeds of different arborescent
species were collected from the moist deciduous forests of the state along with
those of a few endemic species from the adjoining semi evergreen, evergreen and
dry deciduous forests. The collected seeds were germinated in the nursery at the
Field Research Station of the Institute at Veluppadam in Thrissur District, with
the details generated on germination percentage of most of them. When the
seedlings attained suitable size, they were planted in the Arboretum plot in the
tree gaps already identified with appropriate spacing. The Arboretum was
maintained with necessary casualty replacements, weeding and watering, whenever
required. The present holding of the Arboretum is 3089 accessions belonging to
170 species under 50 families and 122 genera, with about 50 taxa endemic to southern
Peninsular India. Arboretum is maintained with the details on location and grid
map. The Arboretum has obtained the Index Seminum ID No.1518 and is also
enlisted in the National Network of Botanical Gardens in India.
Kerala Forest Research Institute
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