TIST
February 2006
CHEZHUMAI ©
Medicinal Plants as Intercropping
As you all know that the siddha system of medicine is one of the oldest in the world and moreover, now a days, the demand for medicinal plants and products have increased tremendously. India is leading in exporting these medicinal plants and products. Along with trees, you can also plant these medicinal plants.
Medicinal Plants in Polythene bags are available in different rates (viz.) Rs.5.00, Rs.3.00 and Rs.2.00 according to their sizes with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. For plants and seeds contact the following address:
Deputy Conservator of Forests (Genetics Division) / Research Officer (Seed Storage), Bharathi Park Road Coimbatore – 641 043 Ph : 0422-2434791
Roja Small Group of Mel Kodungalur
This Small Group has 57 mango trees in a grove with more than 10 m spacing in between. Recently, in between the mango trees, the members have planted eucalyptus. During the recent quantification, the quantifier was not able to quantify the eucalyptus trees because of the widespread weeds. Not even one eucalyptus tree was visible.
In another grove, the members of this group have planted casuarina trees. It is the same problem here in this grove too. The weeds have grown taller than the trees and so the quantifier was able to get a poor count of 2486 trees only. We very well know that there are more than 2486 trees in the grove, but it is so unfortunate that the quantifier was not able to quantify the exact number because of weeds. If the trees are quantified in lower side, it is a loss for TIST and Small Groups also, because the calculation of carbon sequestering will be less if the trees are counted less and the sale of carbon credits will also be less. Voucher payment for the every Small Group will be calculated according to number of live trees, so if the live trees are counted less, your voucher payment will be paid less.
There are more than 10,000 casuarina seedlings in the soil bed with this Small Group. With these seedlings, the number of trees will go up in another couple of months with this Small Group. According to TIST, there should be three different species of trees with the ratio of 30:30:40 (approximately) with every small group to receive the voucher payment. This should be kept in mind while submitting starting a nursery.
Rose Wood Small Group of Mel Kodungalur
This Small Group has got 3200 casuarina trees. The status of groves with this Small Group is same as Roja Small Group. They need to improve performing the best practices with regard to brining up the nursery and trees.
Life in Your TIST Small Group (by Mrs.Vannesa Hanneke)
The daily life and work of your TIST small group can bring both great joy and many challenges. Group members can share the sense of accomplishment and hope as they see the work of their hands in their nurseries and in the areas where they have planted trees. Sharing best practices of what you have learned with each other and with other small groups is very rewarding and exciting. TIST group members have said that when they become discouraged about things in their lives, they have walked out among the trees they have planted and have been encouraged by the visible results of their hard work. Your small group will experience happiness in the friendships you are making and what you are doing. You might also experience concerns about some activities and even conflict over issues or decisions to be made. We are all human beings. We have different ideas about how things should be done. The important thing is that we honor each other in the group, believe in each other, and make the important decision to find solutions and reconciliation when there is conflict.
It is important to know that we are called to be peacemakers - in the small group, in our families, and in the world around us. When we are in the middle of conflict, this is difficult to remember. There are two typical responses to conflict. We can escape, or pretend it doesn’t exist. This is “peace faking.” It doesn’t really work very well in the long run because we haven’t resolved anything. It can stay inside and fester, making us unhappy with people and our lives. The other typical response is attacking, either in angry words or sometimes even physically. This is “peace breaking.” The result of this is hurt, anger in return, and holding grudges.
The optimal response to conflict is to work out the problems with each other. This is “peacemaking” and through it we learn about others and ourselves. We grow personally, and our small group becomes stronger.
There are four steps you can take when you are in a conflict. They will honor God and each other.
The first is this: Ask how can we glorify God in this conflict? How can we act and what can we do that will bring honor to God? How can we understand and respect the values of others in our group? Part of the answer to this is looking at the conflict as a challenge, something from which we will learn and become stronger people rather than something we need to overcome or win.
The second is taking responsibility for your own role in the conflict. What did you do to bring this about? Look at your own actions and attitudes and see what you might have contributed to the conflict. This is difficult to do. When you do see your own part in the conflict, offer a meaningful apology to the person or persons you have offended for what you have done.
The third is to help the other person take responsibility for his or her role. This should be done with gentleness and kindness. You need to listen openly to understand what the other person is saying and not just figuring out what your answer will be. It is important to look for mutual understanding about what has happened to bring about the conflict, as well as to share the impact of what has happened without judging the other person and making him wrong.
The final step is to look for resolution of the problem and reconciliation. If the other person apologizes, respond with forgiveness. Look for clarity and agreement about what needs to be addressed. Also look for clarity of what each person is trying to say and accomplish. Look for, develop, and evaluate solutions that will meet each other’s interests. This involves compromise and a heartfelt desire to bring about something that will last, and will be a situation where everyone can go forward in agreement and harmony, respecting each other.
This is hard work. It is easy to pretend conflict doesn’t exist, or to be angry and only look at what you want to get out of a situation. But we are called to live in peace, and approaching the challenge of conflict with honesty, reverence and purpose will be an example to others.
Roja Small Group – Casuarina Seedlings
Sign the GHG agreement and take the Voucher payment
Trim the side branches of Casuarina
The side branches of casuarina trees, which are standing more than 10 feet in height or 2 years old, can be trimmed in the sides. January to March is a good season for you to trim the side branches of casuarina trees. When the side branches are trimmed, there will be lot of space for the sunlight to pass through the trees to reach the ground. When the trimming is done during the hot season, the strong sunlight passes through the trees to the ground and the long time stored useful compost in the soil will get burnt. Since it is a pleasant season between January to March, the sunlight will not be very strong to destroy the available good elements in the soil. Make use of the present season and do the trimming. Moreover, it is the time for the choolai job, that is brick manufacturing job. The small trimmed side branches of casuarina trees are used as fuel in bricks manufacture. Be prudent; make use of the season and situation.
Balaji Small Group – Casuarina Trees
Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems
The people of India have long revered the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). For centuries, millions have cleaned their teeth with neem twigs, smeared skin disorders with neem-leaf juice, taken neem tea as a tonic, and placed neem leaves in their beds, books, grain bins, cupboards, and closets to keep away troublesome bugs. The tree has relieved so many different pains, fevers, infections, and other complaints that it has been called "the village pharmacy." Neem - Natural Bodycare for more than 4500.
The neem tree (Azadirachta indica) is a tropical evergreen related to mahogany. Native to east India and Burma, it grows in much of southeast Asia and west Africa. A few trees have recently been planted in the Caribbean and several Central American countries.
Outdoors, in locations where temperatures don't drop much below freezing, it may reach up to 50 feet tall. It will grow where rainfall is as little as 18 inches per year and thrives in areas that experience extreme heat of up to 120 degrees F. They are reported to live for up to 200 years.
To those millions in India neem has miraculous powers, and now scientists around the world are beginning to think they may be right.
Two decades of research have revealed promising results in so many disciplines that this obscure species may be of enormous benefit to countries both poor and rich. Even some of the most cautious researchers are saying that "neem deserves to be called a wonder plant."
In particular, neem may be the harbinger of a new generation of "soft" pesticides that will allow people to protect crops in benign ways.
(Source: www.bytheplanet.com).
