Michelia champaca (Gini Sapu) is a large evergreen
tree with a long, clean cylindrical bole (with 60-70 feet/14m-20m
height; 1.8 m trunk diameter). Required rainfall varies from 2250 – 5000 mm and
it performs well in an altitude of 500 -1500 m above mean sea level. It is well
suited for sandy loam soil and also it grows well on moist deep, well drained,
good quality soil. It is a light demander and coppices well up to a fair size
and it does not produce root suckers.
Michelia champaca is not native to Sri Lanka. Especially
people used to plant this species around Hindu temples due to the sweet smell
of its flowers. Now it’s being extensively planted in the wet zone and the hill
country. Now it’s getting wild in our forest areas in wet and intermediate zones
and can be found in home gardens also. No pure plantations have been
established for M. champaca in Sri Lank at present.
Champwood Lanka (Pvt.) Limited is a hypothetical company established
with a
vision to provide a helping hand in saving our rain forests. And its mission is
to meet future demand for timber in Sri Lanka by using sustainable
forest management. The selected area to establish the plantation is Kegalle
with a land of 50 ha.
Management
prescriptions and Business model consists with several steps as site
preparation and establishment of a nursery, planting in the field and weed
controlling, prunning and
thinning and harvesting. There
are various options for value addition such as proper management activities
(fertilizer regimes, harvesting schedules), Carbon crediting, forest
certifications, good quality seed collection and measures for soil erosion control.
Intercropping is done for maximum land utilization.
End product
manufacturing consist of logs, sawn timber, essential oil from flowers and
seeds, some parts for ayurvedic treatments, fuel wood (through thinning and
pruning) and plants and seedlings for reclamation and ornamental purposes.
Dealing with customers in a responsible and faithful manner is the basis of
been successful in the sector. However, there are considerable strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats which can be presented
through a SWOT analysis.
