City’s 2nd ‘bamboo setum’ to come up in Gorewada forest

Nagpur: A ‘bamboo setum’, which is a garden having collection of bamboo plants, will come up on 25 hectares at Gorewada reserve forest soon. This will be a centre of bamboo excellence in the region.
The Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and Maharashtra Bamboo Development Board (MBDB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project on February 15, 2020. The MoU was signed by Gorewada divisional manager Nandkishore Kale on behalf of FDCM, while ACF RV Kulkarni signed for the MBDB.
“This will be second ‘bamboo setum’ to be in place in the city this year. The first one is at Seminary Hills having 35 varieties. At Gorewada, we will plant nearly 70 species of bamboo. A ‘bamboo setum’ in Wadali in Amravati has 67 species,” said TSK Reddy, managing director of MBDB.
Reddy informed that in Maharashtra, 40 ‘bamboo setums’ have been set up. Of these, eight have been developed by private bamboo growers on their land.
“The basic idea is to spread awareness about various species of bamboo which have multiple uses which many people don’t know. The setum will come up close to the Gorewada nature trail and will be open for visitors,” said PCCF (HoFF) & FDCM managing director N Rambabu.
The ‘bamboo setum’ will come up in compartment number 795 adjoining Katol Road naka. The activities that will be taken up include habitat development only.
The good part of the project will be ‘bamboo setum’ will come up in areas affected by lantana and cassia toro infestation. However, the flip side is the project will eat into portion of grasslands which is good habitat for herbivores.
“We have asked MBDB to take adequate care for safe movement of wildlife in the proposed area besides soil and water conservation,” said Kale.
The MBDB was established in 2016 to catalyse holistic growth of bamboo sector in Maharashtra. The executive committee headed by PCCF (HoFF) on March 25, 2019, had decided to allot 25-hectare forest land at Gorewada and another 6.5 hectare for development of bamboo nursery.
As per the MoU, MBDB will take up only plantation and no permanent structure will be constructed. Temporary fencing will be erected to protect the plants.