UP's tiger reserves to grow perennial grasses with IGFRI Support

Time of India

01-05-2025

Pilibhit: Tiger reserves and forest divisions in UP are set to undergo a major transformation under a new
grassland management programme
, said officials from the forest department. In collaboration with Jhansi-based
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute
(IGFRI), these areas will cultivate
perennial grasses
to ensure year-round green grazing grounds for wild herbivores—the primary prey base for tigers and leopards.
Manish Singh, divisional forest officer of
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
(PTR), sought technical assistance from IGFRI to implement this programme. The plan has received in-principle approval from Anuradha Vemuri, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), who also announced that the IGFRI-backed initiative will be extended to all tiger reserves in the state.
Currently, tiger reserves face a green fodder shortage during winter months as dominant grass species such as Saccharum munja and Vetiver dry up and only regenerate with the arrival of the monsoon. This results in seven months of dry grass, forcing herbivores to raid nearby farmlands for crops like wheat, lentils, gram, and mustard. These crop raids not only cause significant losses for farmers but also attract predators like tigers into agricultural fields, increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict.
Singh said, "The Director of IGFRI has been requested to send a team of grassland experts to PTR to suggest suitable perennial grass species based on the region's climate, soil, and sub-soil water conditions. Given the variability in soil types across different ranges of the reserve, this will envisage the cultivation of different grass species."
Ideally, grasslands in a tiger reserve should constitute 8 to 10% of the total core forest area. However, major grasslands in PTR, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, and its components—Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Kishanpur WLS, and Dudhwa National Park, South and North Kheri forest divisions, are currently dominated by Saccharum munja and Vetiver grasses, which need improved management.
PTR and DTR cover core forest areas of approximately 620 and 1,107 sqkm, respectively, while the South Kheri forest division spans about 160 sqkm. Transforming around 10% of this vast area with perennial grass species presents a significant logistical and financial challenge for forest authorities.
Notably, dry grasses also pose a serious fire hazard. Recently, the vast stretches of long dry grasses in Mala, Mahof, and Haripur forest ranges of PTR caught fire, reducing over 400 hectares to ashes. Despite the deployment of three fire tenders and additional police personnel, the fire caused extensive damage.