A forest department team has discovered a centuries old tree believed to be the Saal with the thickest trunk on record in the State. The Sal tree estimated to be about 200 years old with a trunk more than six metres in circumference. This rare giant has been found in the Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary in the Haldwani forest division.
In the remote jungles of Jaulasal in Nandhaur is where this rare tree was discovered by a team of forest department officials after which efforts have been speeded up for conserving this giant of the forests. According to the Haldwani divisional forest officer Chandrashekhar Sanwal, a department team was looking for new flora in the biodiversity-rich Jaulasal area when they came across a Sal tree about 40 metres tall. For the past many days, the departmental team headed by sub divisional officer PC Arya, working on biodiversity conservation, entered about six kilometres into the jungle in the Chamuadhunga beat of Jaulasal range where they spotted the giant tree. When the forest department team measured the trunk with a measuring tape, they found the circumference to be about 6.40 metres, after which the senior officers were also informed about the discovery. The DFO further said that till date a Sal tree having a trunk with a circumference of about five metres was recorded in the lakhamandi Gate of Nandhaur range. However, no Sal tree with a trunk of 6.40 metre circumference has been found anywhere in the state till now.
He further said that the forest department has started working on the conservation of this giant Sal tree. In the 15,000 hectare Jaulasal forest area, there are other Sal trees too which have grown well to large proportions. It is here that the giant Semal tree referred to as the Nandhaur champion tree is also located. The tourists visiting Nandhaur to view its rich wildlife and birds, should also use the opportunity to view the 10 specimens of giant trees which are in a very good condition in this area, he added.