ALAPPUZHA: Mangroves and coconut lagoons give a green cover to Alappuzha district, sandwiched between Vembanad lake and Arabian sea. Till 2013, it was the only district in the state without a forest land. That changed when the Forest and Wildlife Department declared the 14.5 acres of land under the timber depot at Veeyapuram in Karthikapally taluk as reserved forest.
“After the declaration, the department has been planting many trees. It has now become a dense forest,” said V S Shuhaib, deputy range forest officer. “The depot, which has a 200-year history, used to auction off the wood to the public. The Britishers may have constructed a depot here considering the place’s proximity to Pampa and Achankovil rivers.
They used to bring wood from the Western Ghats through rivers to the depot,” he said.“The area is now filled with huge trees and is an asylum to birds and animals. The rich flora and fauna of the jungle are attracting researchers,” said Shuhaib.