The Rural Centre
   Krishnamurti Foundation India,Rajghat Fort Varanasi, India


   

 

   Forestry

The centre has earmarked more than 20 acres of land for growing forest tree species. Since 1993 and until last year the Centre had planted 2000 trees of shishum and 2500 teak trees. During this year in July, the Centre joined hands with UP Forest Dept's massive tree plantation programme. As a part of this programme, the Centre planted 2000 saplings of arjun, jamun, teak, gulmohar, bamboo. Large number of fruit bearing trees such as mango, bael, have been planted .

Due care and adequate security measures to this large scale plantation have accelerated natural regeneration in this area. Across the vast expanse of 200 acre area, numerous tree species such as teak, sisham, neem, pakad, peepal, banyan, gulmohar, kadam, kala sirus, tad palm, ber, parijatha, bamboo, palas, tabia rosa, kachenar, ashoka, pendula, etc. have grown in large numbers. Vide variety of shrubs, grasses herbs can also been seen.

Balam kheera, a medicinal tree, is the oldest tree in the campus. The tree is used in the preparation of medicines for dissolving the kidney stones.

This floral diversity has attracted a larger number of bird species. One can see tree-pi, drango, hoopoe, robin, pigeon, crow, woodpecker, kingfisher, barbet, humming bird, dove, eagle, peacock, crow, sparrow, myna, parrots, owl, and owlet. Some of the wild animals seen are Neelgai, porcupines, rabbits, civet cat, foxes, etc.

The Centre has set up a nursery to take care of its saplings for plantation in the years to come. Currently there are 1000 saplings of amaltas, kachenar, gulmohar, have been grown in this nursery.

Future Plans
The centre has plans to grow rare and endangered tree species in order to conserve them.

The Centre also intends to establish a seed bank to meet the seeds requirement.

The Centre wishes to document the biological diversity of the Rajghat Campus. This project is again dependent on adequate financial resources and human resources.