The Coimbatore Forest Division is expecting fresh neem sprouts from the 60,000 seed balls that the Forest Department staff are dispersing in six forest ranges. The seed balls were given by the Rotary Club.
An initiative of the Rotary Club, the seed balls were prepared by school students from Udumalpet and handed over to Mettupalayam Forest Range Office.
According to District Forest Officer D. Venkatesh, Sirumugai and Pooluvampatti forest ranges were given 5,000 seed balls each, while Karamadai, Coimbatore, Periyanaickenpalayam were given 10,000 seed balls each.
Mettupalayam Forest Range has so far dispersed 15,000 seed balls. An additional 5,000 seed balls will be dispersed in remaining parts of Mettupalayam range.
Mr. Venkatesh said that at least 50 % seeds would germinate as the land was wet after rains.
The compost used in making the seed balls would aid the growth of the sprouts, he added.
Native trees
Mettupalayam Forest Range Officer S. Selvaraj said neem was ideal for the forests ranges as it was a native tree and seed balls were dispersed in areas without tree cover.