“Bawal is best”

With reference to Pirojsa Tamboli’s letter "Bawal is best” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, September 7, 2013), I must mention that I had received seeds of acacia holosericea from Tim Willing of Australia to stabilize the sand dunes of Tamil Nadu. Some of these were passed on to friends in Auroville for their afforestation program in what was once a wasteland with laterite (red soil rich in iron and minerals). These gave very good results, with the trees maturing in seven years with good calorific value of wood. Added advantages are that the species does well in soils that are not fertile, needs little water or manure, is self-sown while replanting and its seeds are edible. During a famine in Ethiopia, villagers survived on the seeds of the acacia holosericea.
Forest officers from West Bengal have reported the success of this species on poor laterite soil. The Social Forestry Department of Navsari had also tried the acacia holosericea species in their plantation program of the low-lying wasteland near the Gymkhana in Udvada. Satisfied with the progress of this species, they had requested seeds for the nursery at Chinulai near Valsad.
The species deserves promotion as it would be a low-cost fast growing substitute for the slow growing bawal tree and the high cost exotic acacia tortilis.
On a national scale acacia holosericea could solve the fire wood shortage as it does well on waste lands and reduces the menace of deforestation.
Dr V. M. MEHER-HOMJI