Posing to reduce human-animal conflict, Goa launches a drive to phase out Australian Acacia from forests

Panaji, July 3: Viewing to enhance the local green cover in the forest areas, the state of Goa has launched a drive to phase out a particular variety of plants which it believes is one of the reasons for human-animal conflicts.

The state forest Minister Vijai Sardesai had recently said that Australian Acacia plants was one of the reasons for human-animal conflicts in Goa. “The plants will be phased out from forest areas and replaced with local variety of trees in five years”, he said.

 

The state further said that the Australian Acacia trees do not contribute for food in forest, forcing animals to travel towards human habitations in search of food, the trees being planted by forest department in 80s and 90s as a part of afforestation.

 

"There is also a direction from court that mono- culture and exotic species of trees should not be planted in forest areas”, the statement said.

 

"The focus would be on native variety of fruit-bearing trees so that the animals can get their food within forest and they don't have to travel out of it. We need to provide required habitation to animals in wild to stop them from entering villages, fields and other areas”, it added.