Nature lovers to plant trees on 500 acres

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With its lush green hills, fields of paddy, lakes and streams, Thazhanjira is a nature lover's dream.

To make sure it remains this way a group of nature enthusiasts from Puthanvelikkara, near Paravur have come up with the idea of planting shade giving trees over almost 500 acres in the area with the support of the forest department.

Called Thazhanjira Thanal,' the project will be inaugurated at Thazhanjira on Friday by Member of Parliament, K P Dhanapalan and 40 prominent personalities, including poet, Chemmanam Chacko, novelist Sethu and journalist, Leela Menon will take part in the planting of trees.

The campaign will see 300 saplings planted on waysides and another 700 in compounds of houses in the run -up to June 5 in the first phase.

Care is being taken to plant saplings of flower and fruit-bearing trees to sustain the bird population of the area, which sees a number of winged beauties arriving to feed on the fish in the lakes.

“A Local Protection Group will be formed from among visitors to the area, farmers and the locals to protect the trees,” said Mr M P Shajan, co-ordinator of the project, which also hopes to rope in students, nature clubs, science clubs, scouts and guides, the Red Cross and the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation to make it a success. Camps will be organised for students as part of the programme.