Vigyan Bhavan & Kempinski Ambience
10 - 14 February 2014
Delhi, India
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Dear Citizens of Mother Earth,
My name is Subabul (Leuceana Leucocephala).
I have witnessed the evolution process of the Mother Earth may be far before than the birth of human species. I respect nature and the law of the nature. Whatever work assigned to me by nature I was and am doing that with purity, honesty, unselfishness and love. I do not know how to measure my contribution to nature or anybody’s contribution to nature? From my birth I have learnt from nature that whatever we get from nature we have to manage and live happily with that. And whatever we have, we should give to nature and offer our services to nature.
However, it is seen that from the evolution of species on the earth to the present era, trees are performing unaccountable role for human as well as natural balance. Only 400 years ago I came to know the word ‘USE’ of me from the species “humans” and from that point my story starts, ‘A journey from the most liked to most un-liked tree’.
Humans says that I am originally from Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico where its fodder value was recognized over 400 years ago by the Spanish conquistadores who carried leucaena feed and seed on their galleons to the Philippines to feed their stock. From there it has spread to most countries of the tropical world where leucaena was used as a shade plant for plantation crops. It was introduced into Australia in the late 19th century and it was naturalized in parts of northern Australia by 1920.
Just three decades ago, my recognition was as “most liked” tree on farms and they called me ‘Miracle tree’ but now I feel very sad about my recognition of ‘MOST UN-LIKED TREE ON FARMS’. I became underutilized. There are millions of tree species which are useful one or another way to human kind as a medicine, shelter, food, wood etc. and considered as birth to cradle of man. With such a range of species, one tree species which is known for its diversified uses, yes I am talking about myself on ‘My name is Leucaena leucocephala, excuse me please, a tree, commonly known as Subabul in India’.
I came into existence about 1890 a little-known legume tree (Leucaena leucocephala) arrived unannounced in northern Australia. By the 1920’s this leucaena, now referred to as ‘common’ leucaena (Leucocephala ssp. leucocephala) had colonised pockets of ungrazed, non-agricultural land along urban and coastal locations in northern Australia, Mexico, Brazil. At that time no-one was to realize that over 100 years later selected L. leucocephala ssp. glabrata cultivars would be established for pasture in more than 10 million hectare area worldwide. More than 800 varieties of this species are known and broadly classified into four types viz, Haiwaiian type, Salvador type, Peru type and Cunningham type.
As in India, I was introduced by the BAIF foundation in seventies mainly as an agroforestry crop to meet the increasing demand for fuel, fodder and timber for poles and posts from Mexico. Late prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, changed Leucaena name from “Kubabul” to “Subabul” due its wide adaptability and multipurpose uses to farmers.
I, the Subabul, am known for my fast growing rate and can be grown in variety of soils and climatic conditions due to my tolerance to high temperature and extended drought and remarkable regenerative capacity. Subabul wood is used for light construction, poles, props, pulp, furniture, flooring and fuel wood. Subabul wood is an excellent fuel wood with a specific gravity of 0.45-0.55 and a high heating value of 4500 kcal/kg. Subabul forage has a high protein and carotene content and pellets or cubes are internationally marketed as animal feed. Scientist of Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi reported that the nutritious fodder quality increases milk yield by 20 per cent. Subabul can store 500 (kg/year/ha) of nitrogen in soil and improves nutrient status.
As a woody-stemmed tree, I (leucaena) act as a carbon sink by sequestering significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere in its woody frame and in additional soil organic matter. Similarly, methane emissions from cattle grazing leucaena are substantially lower than for tropical grasses, probably due to the high digestibility and condensed tannin content of leucaena forage. Subabul yields 30 to 40 t/acre in three years after planting. The same plants rejuvenate and are ready for harvest after every three years. The price paid to the farmer is Rs. 1,350 per tonne while the factory price is around Rs 2,000 from paper industries in India.
Hence, the multiple utility of species makes them suitable to farmers for planting on their own field without much difficulty and extensive research brought many varieties to fulfill farmer’s requirement. K 8 and K 636 variety of subabul adapted extremely well to semi-arid conditions and soon became one of the most popular species for all types of forestry programmes in India. Due to its wide variety of uses and it was this multiplicity of roles that led to the worldwide reputation of the subabul as a ‘miracle tree’.
It’s a Win-Win situation now. There is proverb ‘If you are looking for a big opportunity find a big problem’. I found the humans always “blaming” rather than “understanding” the inbuilt systems of my growth. If you follow the nature’s inbuilt law of my systems, I can assure that I will regain my status as ‘Wonder Tree” or “Miracle Tree”. Now it’s an opportunity for all humans to promote me in the benefit of nature in the benefit of the humans. I will end my letter with very strong statement, ‘what we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror of reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another’
VOTE FOR ME TO REGAIN MY STATUS AS MIRACLE TREE- I want to serve for you – give me an opportunity to serve for the nature and in the benefit of nature and humanity,
THANKS FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT AND COOPERATION
Always yours,
Winning regards,
Leuceana Lecucocephala
Honest Citizen of Mother Earth
(for the nature by the nature)
Blogpost and illustration by
Sangram Chavan – Scientist, National Research Centre for Agroforestry (Jhansi, India) – sangramc8(at)gmail.com and
Harshvardhan Deshmukh – Assistant Professor, College of Forestry (Akola, India) – hkdeshmukh1(at)rediffmail.com
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This post is entry nr #39 in our #WCA2014 blog competition. The five blogposts with the most and highest votes will receive a signed copy of the book "Trees for Life". The most popular blogpost will get an iPad.
This blogpost received 119 votes, with an average score of 5 (out of a max of 5).
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128 People have left comments on this post
The Subabul was a mircale tree, will be a miarcle tree. Congrats Dr Sangram
It is very interesting. Keep it up.
Very interesting……..
Nice Doc Shaab
An excellent effort to present a very useful information in simplest way
It is very nice and fantastic ……
An excellent effort to present a very useful information in simplest and catchy way..
well done Dr. Sangram, keep it up
This is wonderful
Very good doc shaab. congrats…………….
first time come to know miracle of Subabul, very interesting
Thanks
Good afford.
Good one!
It’s a good effort for giving valuable information about Subabul, Today is need to protect this tree for making green to earth again. congrats…
Great…quite good. Contains a lot of useful information as well as the facts. All The Best.
all d bst dude..keep rocking…jai forestry.
Good doc saab…keep it up and all the best…
helpful information
Nice way to create awareness..
Veee…..ry nice ,dear
Gd work
Thank You for your valuable comments
Very good Sangram, informative blog
great empathy for subabul Tree…Nice efforts and best wishes !
informative and interesting blog..
GOOD WORK SANGRAM ….. KEEP IT UP ….
Nice work we really appreciate the work
Well done Dr.sangram chavan.keep it up & very nice…
It is necessary for future….
valuable information, nice
Well done dr.sangram sir it is very important information keep it up sir….
Good work and keep doing..
Very appreciable efforts..
It’s awesome. ..We r proud of u….keep it up
…..
nice work…..
ITs good sangram
Dear Dr Sangram,
You have posted right thing at right time and right platform. Keep it up.
worthfull information about subabul
wonderful information..
good and informative article….
Subabul known fast growing rate and can be grown in variety of soils and climatic conditions due to tolerance to high temperature and extended drought and remarkable regenerative capacity.
Very informative as well as interesting blog…..good work Sangram.
very nice
its nice presentation sangram keep it up
Good and encouraging information on Subabul…
Nice dear Subabul,
U ve a long journey ahead also… we cannot forget u at all.
C u soon dear….
good..
I appreciate your work Dr Sangram. Keep it up…..
Appreciable efforts made by Chavan Sangram and article is very much informative
Every tree is important and so is Subabul.Time has come when it will regain its glory. Well thought blog, congrats
Subabul’s story in its own words.. Good Sangram
Interesting and informative.
Its very nice
O really
fantastic
Dear Friend,
Wishing you all the best for your journey !!
May you continue to grow wisely like a tree and offer yourself to UNIVERSE like tree does.
Be Happy
good work sangram
Most important information. keep up…..
Good information at single palace.
Good information at single place.
Good work
very nice work sangram
keep it up…nice
GOOD
INNOVATIVE IDEA TO PROMOTE SUBABUL
EXCELLENT
Super like dude……………………
Mr.Deshmukh….wondeful efforts…keep it up…you are placing the right matter and information on a globally accepted and renowned platform….wish you all sucess
well researched .great job. appealing
Good job Harshu dada! All the best
Great works and well done!
This is very interesting and very good…..Sir
Excellent autobiography.
Subabul, A Miracle tree on Indian Farms
It is very nice presentation..Good effort!! all the best
GOOD INFORMATION AND IMPORTANT FOR PROMOTING TREE FORMING
Congratulation for your effort to protect this valuable tree from unnecessary defamation. Being a teacher in Agroforestry. I always believed in the role of NFTs in environment protection, especially the Leuceana Lecucocephala.
Good work Sangram. Nice information..
Excellent work Dr. Sangram, you explained us the importance of this tree in a wonderful way i hope it will increase the awareness about the importance and value of this wonder tree among the peoples of the world……
Excellent presentation! I really liked your topic and its nice presentation. Subabul is certainly a ‘Miracle Tree’ with multifarious uses.
I’ve worked on this tree extensively and contributed to its research in the fields of fodder and forestry. You can observe it in mangrove forests to temperate forests. Under proper management full potential of this tree can be obtained.
All the best for the competition.
Congrats Dear Harshavardhan Deshmukh for very innovative but very impact full thought, I am looking forward for the best promotion of the Miracle tree
regards
P D Thakare
Dr PDKV, Agril University, Akola, Maharashtra
Interesting… All the best !
Interesting article. Style of Presentation is very nice and attarctive.
Nice initiative and highly essential considering the sustainability of soil, crops and environment and also for the secured livelihood.
Nice….
Great keep it up wish best
Citizen of Mother Earth
Excellent
Dear Harsh ji
Its really the valuable and nice information… keep it up..
good work and informative.
Wonderful news about Subabul tree
Very nice letter written here to gave information regarding the subhabul tree
Congrats on a fine aricle. Having bred leucaenas for 60 years in Hawaii, I totally agree…and am pleased that my varieties like K8 and K636 are popular. It was in fact in my discussion with Indira Ghandi that she suggested “subabul”, great name. Jim
Itz really true and tree should supported…….
Nice
Wish you all the best for the preparation and presentation of the article.
Good job Mr. H.K.Deshmukh sir, Please go ahead.
Nice
Great and very informative article
Its very interesting
its very nice…
He good one
To good dada. Its very important and valuable information it is very necessary for future……
well done
Execellent work
Dear Author, Firstly I congrates to you for appreciating the tree which one is most unlikes normally. The people in village are very fond of this subabul tree as it is most valuable for them to continue their livelihood by getting fuel, fodder as well as some kind of food from its seed..as many of we don”t know…My best wishes with you …be continue to write about such many more trees..I thought you are very positive personality…Hv a nc time.Bst Lck- Vishal B S
Good job… maybe you can give a little evolution for the earth (ucok amanga)
Very nice, keep it up…
good work and good luck
nice!
Important and good information.
extraordinary
Excellent presentation sir.
Like
yah,i appreciate you.urja to you.
Very nice
Dear Harshavardhan dada
Good thought all the best Subabul..
regards
Anand
it is nice prediction
idea of having tree in farmland is focussed.
nice presentation
Good thought sir
Well said sir.
It is a Multi purpose Tree, dry land species. A simple maintenance method, will make this popular again, a method to control its spread.
Hope you will do it
Auspicious presentation ….
Hats off 4 it wonderful work of creating awareness about subabul!!
great blog
Its very insteristing
i think it’s a gret true story and lot of truth about subabul as miracle tree is thre.
best wishes Mr. sangram
does subabhul and kubabhul same?
Dear Harshavardhan
Good one.. best luck Subabul- need of hour
regards
I personally believe that Subabhul should regain the status of Miracle tree
good idea sir…
really it is very interesting..all the very best