{
  "id": 11814466,
  "title": "The sal and the beetle: Why Madhya Pradesh is cutting 1.4 lakh trees to save the forest",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/the-sal-and-the-beetle-why-madhya-pradesh-is-cutting-1-4-lakh-trees",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-04T01:30:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express - India",
    "slug": "the-indian-express-india",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sal-beetle-madhya-pradesh-cutting-trees-save-forest-10905624/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Madhya Pradesh felling 1.4 lakh sal trees",
    "Sal heartwood borer infestation plaguing forests",
    "Beetle collection generates revenue for forest department"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Felling the infested sal trees aims to contain the longhorn beetle's spread, potentially saving the forest while villagers gain a revenue stream from collecting and selling the beetles.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "The sal and the beetle: Why Madhya Pradesh is cutting 1.4 lakh trees to save the forest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/the-sal-and-the-beetle-why-madhya-pradesh-is-cutting-1-4-lakh-trees-11818853",
        "published": "2026-10-04T01:30:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}