Afforestation for reclaiming degraded village common land: a case study

Abstract The productive capacity of the vast areas of land lying waste can be improved by planting trees. Soil amelioration using plantations is not only effective, especially in salt affected wastelands in arid and semi-arid regions, but is also a method for ecological revival in terms of vegetation enrichment, soil amelioration as well as social benefits. The trees planted on 8 ha of common land in salt affected wastelands in the semi-arid Aravalli hills (Haryana, India) were enumerated after 5.5 and 13.5 years for growth parameters, soil pH, organic carbon, electrical conductivity, available phosphorus, and various socio-economic benefits. Out of the twelve species planted, only five survived and three grew more than 40 cm in GBH as well as 10 m high in 13.5 years . The soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic-C and available Phosphorus recorded significant improvement in three depths (up to 45 cm ) and ages over the initial status. Fodder supply, employment generation, reclamation of adjoining agriculture fields, income generation for village committee and promotion of various other community facilities further benefited the village community.