Challenges faced by the Forest Department in establishing khaya plantations in Sri Lanka
Abstract of a seminar presentation
Benica Jayasekara
Khaya senegalensis is the scientific name for khaya, which belongs to the Family Meliaceae. It is commonly known as African mahogany or dry zone mahogany. It’s a fast growing tree species in dry conditions and grows up to 20-30m in height. Timber of khaya is hard, dense and reddish brown in colour.
Khaya is one of the major timber species used by the Forest Department in reforestation programs in dry and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka. It was introduced from Africa during 1960’s. However, most of the khaya plantations of Sri Lanka are less than 10 years old.
The reasons for the use of Khaya by the Forest Department is the high demand for timber, fast growth rates in dry and intermediate zones, tolerance to poor site quality and resistance to heavy weed competition, harsh conditions and diseases and pests (except borer). Moreover the rural community prefers khaya over teak because khaya is morphologically more similar to the native species in Sri Lanka. In addition to those, wild elephants do not damage khaya trees.
According to the Forest Department, khaya was selected as the best tree species for the dry zone. There are however, a few challenges faced by the Forest Department in establishment of khaya plantations. Expensive seeds, low seed viability, fertilization, weeding, multiple shoots, porcupine damage, black twig borer attack, red stem borer attack and the forest fires as examples.
Forest Department had taken remedial actions for these challenges and still they are doing further studies to improve the khaya plantations. Still the khaya plantations in Sri Lanka are less than 10 years and therefore the Forest Department might face more problems with the time, because the rotation age of khaya is 30 years and still the yield tables for this species has not been prepared.
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