City-based NGO Siruthuli planted a sapling of a native tree at Anna University campus in Navavoor near Marudamalai on Saturday. With this, the NGO has planted 50,000 saplings at the ‘Kalam Vanam’ in the campus.

This is part of the NGO’s mission to develop urban forests in the district. Former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated the NGO’s afforestation programme ‘Pasumai Payanam’ in 2005.

According to Vanitha Mohan, Managing Trustee of Siruthuli, the NGO was using the ‘Miyawaki plantation’ method (Japanese method of planting different varieties of plants close to one another to develop a good eco system). “Since we are planting native trees available in the country, we call it ‘Siruwaki plantation’,” she told The Covai Post.

“Through S2S (Seed to Saplings) initiative, we are spreading awareness among school students to grow more trees. With the help of experts we train them on how to sow the seeds and how to nurture the plants/trees and even teach them how to make bags out of them. We ensure that the saplings are planted in the schools. After four months we take it from them to develop the urban forests,” she added.

The NGO, with the help of Anna University, was even offering assistance in drip irrigation so that there was no problem in watering the plants. Appealing to the people to help the organisation in nurturing the saplings, Vanitha Mohan said the NGO planned to plant 1,00,000 saplings in the campus by the end of 2018.

Students of Anna University and apex members of Siruthuli and volunteers planted the saplings of 30 varieties of native trees in the campus. Siruthuli has so far planted more than six lakh saplings in and around the district.