Sikkim Forest Department launches its hunt for Heritage Trees

When others are on merciless tree felling to give space to the peeping fluorescent ad boards and mushrooming skyscrapers, Sikkim felt the need to initiate a revolution against such practice, by tracing out and conserving its old heritage trees. The drive to spot the biggest or oldest tree of Sikkim has been launched by the Sikkim Forest Department as a part of their centenary year celebration.

The initiative has been taken by the Honorable Minister, Shri Bhim Prasad Dhungel. The people of Sikkim have been requested to find such old giant trees so that they can be formally recognized as Biodiversity Heritage Trees and given due status. All members of the Sikkim Forest family and interested individuals have been requested to hunt their areas to find such potential heritage tree.

The finders of such state treasures will also be suitably recognized with tree dedicated as per their wishes. He / she will be awarded suitable prizes and other incentives during an appropriate ceremony of the Sikkim Forest Centenary’s new era celebrations.

Based on the surveys by the department along with concerned local organization, some preliminary results have been received. In North Sikkim, nine trees have been traced with girth of 42 feet. In South Sikkim, 13 trees including a Pipalay Karba with grit of 29 feet and height 95 feet. East Sikkim reports 10 trees including a Ficus with girth 33 feet and height 150 feet. While West Sikkim comes with three famous Dhupis with girth 21 feet and height 120 feet.

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