Perhaps they are talking about Ceiba pentandra (Kapok), instead of the native Bombax ceiba.
-bs On Aug 29, 2008, at 11:21 AM, Padmanabhan Geetha wrote: > Can some one tell me about this phenomena regarding Silk cotton > tree? Hearing this for the first time.Forwarding this mail that > came to me. > geetha > > > TN forest Dept forced to fell 'polluting' trees > Thursday, 28 August, 2008 10:33 PM > From: > "G Narayanan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Add sender to Contacts > To: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > Hi Folks - Please read this report and enlighten me? As far as I can > remember, Silk cotton trees (Bombax ceiba) are a native species, and > their flowers are an important food source for several species. > Perhaps the reporter has erred in identifying the species, or has > quoted "out of context". Perhaps someone knowledgeable about forest > ecology can confirm if the "facts" stated in the report are indeed > correct. I hesitate to ask - do we know anything about the ecology of > this species and whether any scientific assessment of the claims in > the report have been carried out? > > Thanks > > GN > > > > http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/004200808281221.htm > > Theni (TN) (PTI): At a time when the focus is on afforestation, the > Tamil Nadu Forest Department is facing a strange situation -- large > scale felling of cotton silk trees in reserve forest areas in the > district as these trees were found be be causing extensive damage to > the ecology. > > About 10,000 trees raised by settlers in Varushanadu, Vellimalai and > Megamalai hilly reserve forests have already been cut to protect the > flora and fauna, official sources told PTI here. > > They said the silk cotton trees, though providing a livelihood to the > settlers, harmed the growth of herbal plants native to the hills and > also turned out to be a parasite nourishing on the moisture and > nutrition of the wild trees in the forest. > > A silk cotton tree would suck water from four square metre range. > Besides, when the pod of the tree bursts, it causes pollution and > affects the health of birds and wild animals. > > The department realised that if the rare trees, native to the hills > perished, there would be a chain reaction affecting the fauna also. > > Birds, squirrels and other species of animals would not get their > food. The trees consumed a lot of ground water and would not allow > other plants in the neighbourhood to blossom and grow, said an > official. > For more read.... http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/ > 004200808281221.htm > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
