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TOPIC: Retired Indian (from India) Forester looking to discuss
Forestry
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/216bfea46f618c83?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 9 2008 9:54 am
From: "a.c. lakshmana"
Dear Mr.Gary Smith and colleagues,
I thank all persons responsible for introducing me to this group.
The deliberations are frank and interesting.
Mr Gary Smith has drawn our attention to Teak tree(Tectona grandis)
which is one of the best timber in the world.For that matter the
Western ghat forests of my state Karnataka, are blessed with unique
trees like sandal-Santalum album, the costliest tree in the world,
nearly Rs.3000 or US $ 700 /kilogram.The other trees like rose wood-
Dalbergia latifolia are also unique in many ways.
Because of industrialization and other developments forests are
shrinking.Foresters have to come out with supplementary alternatives
to agriculture lands.i feel teak,sandal bamboo,rattan cane,etc, are
the suitable ones.
That is how i wrote that bamboo and rattans are my specialties.
once again thanking the group or their friendly gesture.
Yours sincerely,
a.c.lakshmana.
== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Jan 14 2008 8:21 am
From: "a.c. lakshmana"
DEAR FRIENDS,
14 Th of January , is a day of an important festival in India. It
happens to be the day on which the Sun changes his axis from South
to North bringing sunshine and warmth to all of us.This is like an
alarm wake up call bringing back life to all hibernating animals and
plants. The whole universe wakes up rejuvenated after a cold resting
period. In India it is celebrated as a post harvest festival and is
called PONGAL/SANKRANTHI. Different parts of the country call it by
different names.It is called lodi in Punjab,Bihu in Bengal etc.
The harvest heap is religiously worshiped , so are the
animals,sun and land, and the BIO-DIVERSITY.
The harvest is shared by haves with have nots, not as alms, but
almost as their share.
Paddy or other grain bunches are hung in the front near the roof
tops for birds, cooked rice is strewn in the field both as food and
incidentally acts as natural pest control.
The domestic animals are washed, tied with ringing bells, horns
are painted mostly red and the animals are made to jump 3 rows of
paddy fire symbolizing successful crossing of hurdles in life.
Every country across the globe celebrates harvest festival in some
form or the other, but some of them
are becoming mere symbolic-traditions ,forgetting the original
philosophy that brought everybody happiness and peace. I felt that
we should revive this old spirit bearing in our minds
the philosophy of our ancestors. In India January 14 is fixed day
for celebrating sankranthi which is also called UTTARAYANAPUNYAKALA
in Mahbharath,which took place
3500 years ago. It was a thought that why should we not consider
this auspicious BIO-DIVERSITY day and improve over this philosophy.
and leave a glorious heritage for our children for a better
tomorrow.
This e-mail has bearing to one of our friends mentioning about some
good practices in the East.
I WISH ALL OF YOU A HAPPY,PROSPEROUS,PONGAL/BIO DIVERSITY DAY.
YOURS SINCERELY,
A.C.LAKSHMANA.
Yours sincerely,
A.C.LAKSHMANA.
== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Jan 14 2008 9:34 am
From: James Parton
ENTS,
This remids me of the Imbolc and Ostara Festivals of Celtic
Tradition.
Imbolc arrives in early February in what feels like the dead of
winter
in much of the Northern Hemisphere -- cold and white during the
days,
and with long bluish shadows falling over the snow as twilight
nears.
Nevertheless, this day marks the first seed of springtide (whose
midpoint will be celebrated later in March).
At this time, sacred pagan rituals were held across Europe. The
Celtic name, which is the most well known of many ancient names, is
Imbolc, a time to celebrate the goddess Brigid in her lively,
creative
maiden-aspect. In the Catholic Church, the feast is Candlemas
("Mass
of the Candles"), for in earlier times churches and monasteries
were
filled with tiers of burning candles to mark the end of the Yule
season with a celebration commemorating the Virgin Mary's ritual
purification forty days after giving birth.
http://www.worldspirituality.org/imbolc.html
Ostara occurs at the spring equinox which celebrates the sun
returning
to the northern sky. On the equinox the days and nights are of equal
length. Incedentally Christians adopted some of these celebration
activities into Easter, which gets its name from Ostara. The rabbit
and eggs are a symbol of fertility.
http://thunder.prohosting.com/~cbarstow/ostara.html
The Indian celebrations have a lot in common with Imbolc and Ostara.
James Parton
TOPIC: Retired Indian (from India)Forester looking to discuss
Forestry
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/216bfea46f618c83?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Jan 21 2008 6:40 pm
From: Josh
Mr. Lakshmana,
I discovered your old post from Jan 9. Thank you for taking part in
ENTS discussions. You are by far the most "eastern" of all
of the
eastern native tree society.
In college I wrote a short paper on the politics of environmentalism
in India, and your state of Karnataka seemed to be one of the
leaders
of social and environmental reform in India. I am very interested in
anything you have to say about the forests and people of Karnataka
and
the Western Ghats. I would love to visit the Western Ghats sometimes
to experience some of the fantastic biological diversity present
there!
When I was travelling in Laos and Thailand a few years ago, many
rural
villages had large plantations of Tectonia grandis. Does Tectonia
grow rapidly enough to produce lumber in a human lifetime? It's nice
to hear there are so many options in Karnataka for foresters to help
people increase there income. Is Cashew farming profitable and
sustainable there (cashews are my favorite source of vegetable
protein)?
I look forward to see more posts from you,
Sincerely,
Josh Kelly
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TOPIC: Retired Indian (from India)Forester looking to discuss
Forestry
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/216bfea46f618c83?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 22 2008 11:43 am
From: "a.c. lakshmana"
Dear Mr.Joshkelly,
I am delighted to read your e-mail and your interest in the western
ghat forests which are the 7 Th richest hot spots in the world.
Tectona grandis are coming up well in private lands in South India
also. In my own farm the best tree had attained 3.3 feet girth in 10
years.They can be harvested around 20 years.The financial returns
are good.
Casew comes up along coastal area.As the productivity is not up to
the mark further expansion is not taking place.
If you come to Bangalore i will host you for three days, you can
also visit western ghats .
I will be interested in going through your article of your college
days.Glad to know that you have ranked Karnataka on a high scale
regarding reforms.
I will be delighted to go through the contributions and life of some
great foresters of USA.Are they available in any website.
Yours sincerely,
a.c.lakshmana.
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TOPIC: Retired Indian (from India)Forester looking to discuss
Forestry
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/216bfea46f618c83?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 23 2008 12:09 pm
From: Josh
A.C. (do you mind being addressed less formally?),
Thanks for your reply. Wow! The Ghats are a very productive area,
and
harvesting teak in 20 years - that is remarkable.
Thank you very much for your offer to host me in Bangalore. The
dollar is currently falling so fast, I'm not sure when I will be
able
to travel abroad. However, If I do come to Bangalore, you and I will
have to visit. Thanks again.
Finding my old college papers will be difficult, and will involve
searching through many floppy disks. I haven't used those in a
while!
As a botanist by avocation, I am not an expert in forestry. One
forester/botanist from the U.S. that does interest me is W.W. Ashe.
He was a pioneer in the acquisition of National Forests in the
Eastern
U.S. and an advocate of primary forests. My friend Rob Messick has
done loads of research on him and he seems like a fascinating man.
I look forward to reading more posts by you, A.C.
Take Care,
Josh
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 23 2008 4:19 pm
From: nesfl@valinet.com
During your long career in India, did you work in forests where
tigers
roamed?
Michele
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