Now Reading: HML uses drone seeding to restore 15 acres in Idukki
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HML uses drone seeding to restore 15 acres in Idukki
In a first for a tea plantation company, Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML) used drone seeding to restore 15 acres of land previously covered by eucalyptus at Pattumallay Estate near Peerumade in Idukki.…
The Story in Brief
In a first for a tea plantation company, Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML) used drone seeding to restore 15 acres of land previously covered by eucalyptus at Pattumallay Estate near Peerumade in Idukki. The Hindu reports that 1,12,178 seeds representing 24 native species sourced from the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) were dispersed. HML vice-president Anil George said the project achieved uniform distribution at lower labour cost with minimal soil disturbance. The company expects a plant density of 5,000 per hectare after five years and plans to replicate the model elsewhere.
The Indian Opinion
Drone seeding is hailed as a cost-effective tool for reforesting degraded plantation land, but the real test will be survival rates after five years. Corporate environmental projects often face greenwashing accusations; however HML's use of native seeds from KFRI's bank and a baseline biodiversity assessment give this effort some grounding. The question to watch is whether the restored plot can sustain the full 24-species assemblage without ongoing human intervention.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
