Stories
Sal Borer Crisis: Madhya Pradesh Fells 1.5 Lakh Trees to Contain Beetle Infestation
- •Madhya Pradesh has started cutting nearly 1.5 lakh sal trees in the Dindori district following a severe infestation of the sal borer beetle across 30,344 hectares.
- •The sal borer, or Hoplocerambyx spinicornis, is a longhorn beetle that damages the inner wood of sal trees, with outbreaks historically occurring in cycles every 30 years.
- •Forest officials are combining tree felling with an insect-trapping program that pays villagers ₹2 per beetle collected, gathering over 19 lakh beetles during the season.
- •Experts have raised concerns about the massive tree-felling operation, questioning whether independent assessments and consultations with stakeholders were properly conducted.
- •Sal forests play a vital role in central India's ecosystem, supporting wildlife habitats, soil and water retention, and tribal livelihoods, making conservation critical.
Key Questions Answered
Madhya Pradesh has started felling nearly 1.5 lakh sal trees in the Dindori district following a severe infestation of the destructive sal borer beetle. The Central government cleared the removal of 1,46,784 infected trees across 30,344 hectares to control the spread of the insect and protect the wider forest ecosystem.
The Forest Department is utilizing two primary methods: trapping adult beetles and removing infected trees. Selected trees are felled and debarked to expose sap, which attracts beetles that villagers then collect by hand for a reward of two rupees per beetle.
The sal borer, or Hoplocerambyx spinicornis, is a longhorn beetle that attacks sal trees by boring into their trunks and damaging the inner wood, which can eventually kill the tree. The beetle primarily targets weaker trees and can cause severe losses in mature forests during major outbreaks.
