The sal and the beetle: Why Madhya Pradesh is cutting 1.4 lakh trees to save the forest
In Madhya Pradesh, officials are felling around 1.4 lakh sal trees to combat a devastating infestation of the sal heartwood borer, a longhorn beetle that has plagued these forests for over a century. Villagers collect the beetles by hand and turn them into necklaces, which are then sold to generate revenue for the forest department.
The sal timber has historically been prized for construction and railway sleepers due to its strength and decay resistance. This operation is part of a larger effort to manage the insect and prevent further damage to the forest.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express - India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
