Silviculture

Silviculture

Silviculture occupies a pivotal position in forestry and afforestation programmes. Silviculture is an applied science of forestry concerned with various treatments of forest stands that may be applied to maintain enhanced productivity. At KFRI, the Silviculture Department often forms the link between theory and practice by focusing on the following:

• Techniques of afforestation
• Management of plantations
• Raising of nurseries
• Establishment of live collections.

The department maintains a live collection of 63 species of bamboo native to India. Information on clump development, culm production, and growth parameters is monitored here. The collection of Sympodial bamboo will help choose bamboo species suitable for various agro-climatic zones and gather valuable scientific information on bamboo growth, besides serving as germplasm for future crop improvement programmes.

Ongoing Research Projects

1. Demographic Survey and Restoration of two Endangered variants of ‘Daruharidra’, Berberis tinctoria Lesch. and Coscinium fenestratum (Gaertn.) Colebr. in Western Ghats.

   Project No.KFRI RP 750/2018   Funding Agency: National Medicinal Plants Board(NMPB),Ministry of AYUSH , Govt. of India
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

2. Establishment of a Medicinal Plant Seed Centre cum Seed Museum at Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur, Kerala

   Project No.GOI RP 822/2021   Funding Agency: National Medicinal Plants Board(NMPB),Ministry of AYUSH , Govt. of India
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

3. Triparty action plan for the reintroduction of Red plants of Kerala

   Project No.GOK RP 838/2022   Funding Agency: Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department (KFD)
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

4. Recovery and Conservation of Rare, Endangered and Overexploited Species of Kerala ( Phase 1)

   Project No.GOK RP 870/2023   Funding Agency: Kerala Forests and Wildlife Deptartment (KFD), Kerala Forest Development Fund ( KFDF)
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

5. Support for production of Biodegradable Coir Fibre Based Root Trainer (CRT) Planting Stock of Medicinal Plants for Health Security, Eco- restoration, Climate Change Mitigation and Tribal Livelihood Enhancement in Kerala

   Project No.GOI RP 873/2023   Funding Agency: Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Govt. of India
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

6. National Campaign on Ashwagandha -A Health Promoter (Southern Region )

   Project No.GOI RP 877/2023   Funding Agency: National Medicinal Plants Board(NMPB),Ministry of AYUSH , Govt. of India
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

Ongoing Extension projects

1. Regional-cum-facilitation Centre for sustainable development of medical plants (Southern Region)

   Project No.EP 353/2017   Funding Agency: National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal 

2. Developing High Density Forest and Evergreen Tree Augmentation at IIM Campus Kozhikode

   Project No.GOI EP 396/2024   Funding Agency: Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K), Govt. of India
   Principal Investigator: Dr. P Sujanapal