Kothamangalam: If the saplings distributed by the forest department every Environment Day had grown and flourished, Kerala would have turned into a forest by now. However, those saplings were either eaten by cattle or dried out due to lack of care. Realising that the sapling distribution project has been a huge failure, the forest department has now come up with a new method to promote afforestation.

The department has decided to gradually phase out distribution of saplings. Instead, ‘Vidyavanam’ project that focuses on schools and urban forest projects will be introduced in collaboration with local bodies.

Earlier, six lakh samples were distributed each year. This year, the number is reduced to one lakh and will be thirty thousand by next year. 

The Vidyavanam project aims to create a Miyawaki-style miniature forest on 15 cent area in schools. Urban forest projects will be implemented in the municipality and corporation area. 

In the Ernakulam district, two Vidyavanam and one urban forest projects are being implemented in June as part of social forestry. Along with this, a tree integration scheme will be implemented in panchayats along with the MGNREGA scheme.