India, Nov. 22 -- Madhya Pradesh's bamboo forests, once among the richest in central India, are shrinking at an alarming pace, prompting the State's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) VK Ambade to order an unprecedented revival plan.
Concerned by both declining productivity and the disappearance of bamboo from several forest divisions, Ambade has directed officials to draft a dedicated working plan and prepare 1.25 crore bamboo saplings for large-scale regeneration across the State.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Ambade said bamboo is far more than a commercial crop; it is an ecological architect central to the health of forest ecosystems. "Bamboo thickets provide refuge, nesting spaces and survival support to birds, insects and a va...