The government lower primary school in Mulluru village, known to be one of the model schools in Kodagu for its creative experiments is in the news for another good reason.
To mark the World Environment Day, the children have collected seeds of various fruit-bearing trees and have prepared seed balls under the guidance of the schoolteacher C S Satish.
The eco-club of the school has initiated the programme ‘Vruksha Kranthi’, for the preservation of rare, wild trees.
The seeds of wild tree species such as jambul, guava, baine, palm, tamarind, soapnut and ‘Raama Phala’ are being collected by the students themselves and are deposited in the seed bank ‘Beeja Bhandara’ at the school.
After the collection of a sufficient number of seeds, the students coat the seeds with a thick layer of mud.
The students have utilised their summer holidays for the entire process. The seed balls will be sown in the forest areas in the third or fourth week of June. A ‘Sasi Dasoha Kendra’ is set up for growing saplings as well.
Teacher Satish said that importance has been given to the fruit-bearing trees as these trees are fodder for wild animals.
Many of the trees get destroyed in forest fires. If such trees are planted in forests in sufficient numbers, the animals would not have to come to residential areas, in search of food.
Fruit bearing trees act as a major source of fodder for wild animals. When the animals and birds feed on the fruits, the seeds of the fruit-bearing trees get transmitted by animals and birds through their droppings and grow in various places, he said and added that there are plans to plant plantain and bamboo, with the help of the Forest Department.