REGENERATION OF TREE SPECIES IN AREAS DISTURBED BY TWO HIGH TENSION LINES AT SEETHA ELlYA PROPOSED FOREST RESERVE

Abstract

Seven years ago, to erect a high tension line a strip of forest (10 to 15 m broad) from theSeetha Eliya reserve was cut leaving stumps of about one meter height. This wasabandoned and a similar strip close to the above has been cut three years ago. This projectwas carried out to find the plant species which can survive after such disturbance and tosee the change in the tree species composition with time, Secthn Eliya is a montane forestpatch with undulating terrain and the altitude of the affected area ranges from 5000 106000 feel. After a reconnaissance survey. 36 plots of Rx25 has been demarcated at threealtitudinal ranges (low, mid and high) to include three year, seven yew' and the adjacentnatural forest (four at each site).

The percentage of trees surviving after cutting in the three year old stand from high, midand low altitudes were 43'Yr,51% and 52% respectively. Survival after cutting in the sevenyear-old stand is not obtainable accurately due to the decomposition of stumps.

A total of 37 tree species including 26 endemic species were recorded in the areasexamined. Out of this only 27 species including 16 endemic species showed the ability toproduce new shoots. Higher number of such individuals were recorded from, Ncolitseufuscata, Sy;:ygillnt revolutum, Actinodaphne gtaanca and Cinuamomum ovalifolium.Species like Calophyilum walkeri, v accinium symplo cifoliu m, Cnthium montanum did notshow regeneration after cutting. Actinodaphnc speriosa was found both in the naturalforest and the three-year-old stand but was absent in the seven-year-old clearing, probablyremoved due to competition.

Higher number or seedlings and saplings were found from SYIIl/I/O("US cochinchinensis,Neolitsea fuscata and Actinodaphene speciosa in all the areas examined.

Further monitoring of these areas will help 10 identify the native species those can be usedin restoration work of montane forests.