FOREST NURSERY & MANAGEMENT

Sanjeeb Pradhan
Sr. Project Officer
WWF-India
Project S.E.R.V.E.
Darjeeling

1. Introduction of Nursery

A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to plantable size. To make a good
plantation, good nursery stock is essential. Major mortality of seedlings in their plantations is due to
the wrong size or poor health of the seedlings at the time of planting. In addition, poor seedlings are
likely to have slower growth, to be less able to compete with weeds, and to be more liable to damage
by insects and pests. Further, in a poor nursery, fewer seedlings will be raised from a given quantity
of seed, and there will be considerable waste of money and time. After planting, the plants are
immediately exposed to a harsh environment, and are at their most susceptible to damage from
drought, grazing, fire, insects etc. Thus sound nursery practice is the foundation of a successful
plantation scheme.

2. Nursery Site selection

• Introduction & Importance: The selection of an appropriate nursery site is the most important
decision for efficient production of good quality plants. It must start from a well defined
statement of the objectives of the nursery, which must include details such as:
the number of plants to be produced each year
the species
the type and size of plants
the location of the plantations and villages to be supplied,
the expected life of the nursery etc.

The selection needs to be agreed upon at least six months before the first seed is sown.
The following are some of the technical factors which need to be considered:

• Water supply: A reliable and adequate source of water supply is essential for all forest
nurseries. The ideal situation is where there is perennial stream at a higher level than the
nursery, and fairly close to it, so that water can be diverted from the stream to the nursery in
high density polythene pipe (which should be buried 15 cm deep). Also essential to know
whether the water is used by other farmers for irrigation to avoid conflict. Water requirements
will vary wit the climate and the species to be grown. It is estimated that 1000 Eucalyptus
plants in polypots requires 30 liters of water every day during dry season. Thus a nursery
raising 20,000 plants will require 600 liters of water per day. This may be slightly less in hills.

• Availability of labor: A lot of labor is required for the construction of the nursery and later on
periodically for tasks such as soil transportation and pot filling. The nursery should be located
where it is possible to obtain labor without great difficulty at most of the times of the
year.Siting a nursery on a main trail near a village will also increase awareness among common
people and will participate in reforestation programme.
• Availability of suitable soil: In nursery where plants are to be raised in polypots, large quantity
of sandy loam or loam soil with well drain property, preferably forest top soil will be required.
But if we have only heavy soils like clay, then sand mixture is also required. For bare root
nursery, a deep loamy soil with well drain property is necessary. To fill 20,000 pots of 3 inch *
7 inch size, we need 6 m3 of soil and for 4 inch * 7 inch pots we need 11m3 of soil mixtures.
The weight of the soil in one pot is about 300 gm, so a nursery raising 20,000 plants in 3/7 inch
pots each year will need 6 tonnes of soil mixture, which is equivalent to 240 doko loads. For
raising pine trees, we need additional mycorrhizal soil, which is available from pine forest only.

Simple example: If the source of soil and sand are close to the site so that 6 loads can be
delivered in one man-day then 10 people could complete the work in less than 4 days, but if it is
so far away that only 2 loads can be delivered in a day, it would take 30 people to complete in 4
days. At a rate of Rs 100 per day the cost would be Rs 4000, for nearer soil and Rs 12,000 for
distance soil (3 times more cost). This will clearly show the importance of site selection.

• Access: The nursery should be as close as possible to the centre of the area where plants are to
be planted later. It may be necessary to construct a short access road to connect the nursery to
the main road; if possible this access road should be usable at all seasons of the year.

• Aspects: Slopes facing south are much warmer than those facing north. So at high altitude,
above 1200 m, south facing slope is preferable. Also we should find out if the area is shaded in
the morning or evening by adjacent hills or ridges. The higher the nursery site, clear of
obstruction from shade.

• Slope: Completely flat land should be avoided to prevent from logging during monsoon rains.
Otherwise good drainage system should be constructed. Even at high altitudes, flat areas are
more likely to frost than gentle slopes. The ideal slope is about 5 degrees, which is enough to
allow; proper drainage. Avoid very steep slopes, to prevent erosion. Average slopes should be
terraced wide enough to accommodate a normal nursery bed of a meter in width, plus paths on
each side to allow access to the beds. Also a stepper sloping nursery means that laborers spend
a good deal of energy climbing up and down.

• Exposure to frost, strong winds and flooding: At high altitudes, sites which are particularly
liable to frost damage should be avoided. Such areas with frost chances are valley bottoms and
other sides where the downward flow of cold night air is common due to dense belt of trees or
shrubs below the site. Other natural hazards should also be avoided. Areas threatened by
landslides, subject to flooding or strong winds must be avoided.

• Availability of land: It is important that at the site chosen for the nursery there should be
enough land to raise the number of seedlings needed, and if possible room for expansion. A
very small nursery raising 20,000 plants in 3/7 inch pots, and keeping the plants in a nursery for
a year could require one ropani (500m2) of land , this includes potting beds, 20% extra for
losses and damage, paths between the beds, soil storage, thatched shelter, compost making area
etc. But for sloping sites the land requirement may be double say 2 ropani. The size of the
nursery greatly depends upon the number of plants to be produced, the time they will remain in
the nursery, as well as the quality and slope of the site. It is also important to ascertain who
owns the land. If it is government, an application must be made for nursery set up. If it’s a
permanent nursery, there is also a provision for transfer to panchayat or committee for certain
period of time. If it a privately owned land it is important to formalize the use of the land by
 obtaining a letter from the owner agreeing to its use as a forest nursery for certain period of
time.

3. Nursery design and construction:

Design: The nursery design will vary according to the type of plants to be raised, topography of
the land (terraces/ slopes) etc. Before construction starts, draw a sketch plan, as possible.
Measurements should be preferably be made with a tape, or a distance can be paced. The plan
must include:
 Fence or wall
 Internal paths
 Water tanks & distribution system
 Seedbeds
 Soil storage shelter
 Working area
 Compost making area etc.
Construction: The land must first be cleared of all rocks, stumps, trees and shrubs. While
working for the terraces, drains should be built as early as possible to prevent rain from
damaging the works.
Drains: Great attention must be given to drainage system, especially in nurseries on steep
slopes. The object is to minimize erosion, while directing excess water away from the site.
Drains should be built along the top edge and down the sides of the nursery. Terraces should
slope very gently inwards and with a slight “fall” along their length, so that water flows to the
back of the terrace and then along it into a main drain. If drained outward, there is great chance
for soil slipping down.
Fence or wall: It is necessary that all animals are totally excluded from the nursery, so a fence
or wall must be built. A stone wall 1.8m high is ideal. It should be about 60 cm below ground
and 120 cm above, when measured from the outside, and with a layer of thorny shrubs on top of
it. A stone wall is effective and long lasting. A very simple entrance gate is recommended to
avoid chances of being left open.
Nursery beds: Ideal size of the bed is 1-1.2m It should not be wider than 1.2 m because of the
difficulty of reaching into the centre for weeding, watering, manuring etc. while beds narrower
than 1m is wastage of land. The length of the bed is relatively less important, though 5-10m
may be convenient for drain purpose. If possible, the beds should be oriented from East to West
to provide better shade against the midday sun. Paths should be 50 -60 cm wide, which
provides adequate space to squat and work from. This means on terraced land the terraces
should be Atleast 2 m wide. When the area for the beds has been leveled, mark out the corners
and the edges with wooden sticks and strings. Flat stones can then be set on edge in trenches
along these boundary lines to support the beds. Stones should be 10-12cm protruding above soil
level. Compact the ground around the stones to prevent them falling over. Sometimes, half split
bamboo or poles are also commonly used to support nursery beds. Sunken beds should not be
used, because of the risk of water logging.
Other structures: A water proof thatched soil storage shelter is needed which is large enough
to store all the potting mixture requirements and to provide some working space. Soils should
be stored under this shade to prevent running out due to rain. In larger and permanent nursery,
2.5 m high shade house is very important for filling pots, seed storage, pricking out small
seedlings and can also serve as an office for stock record maintenance.

 Check list of expandable materials for tree nurseries:

 Seeds, Soil, Sand, Compost
 Polypots: 3/7 inch & 4/7 inch
 Heavy gauge polybags for seed storage
  Wire, strings, mesh wire, nails
 Soap
 Pens, pensils, water proof marker pens
 Registers: Nursery, Seed. Visitor
 Pate kuto, Chuche kuto, Sickle, Kodalo, Knife, Khukri, Axe, Doko, Scissors, Secateurs,
Germination trays, Plant carrying trays, Soil and sand sieves, Hammer etc.
 Watering can with roses.

4. Planning & Record Keeping

• Objective: Planning of nursery should be done at community level, visit the planting sites and
discuss the reason for planting, what are the species to be planted (try to limit the number to a
maximum of 4), start by growing local spp. with which the people are familiar.
• Time of seed collection & Sowing: One or the main constraints on nursery plans is the
availability of seed. Each and every seeds have different collecting seasons. The plan of seed
collection is very essential. The plan can be set out as in the table given below:

Table: Example of Seed time for Nursery at 1200 to 1400m

Species Collecting season Sowing time Months in

nursery
Alnus nepalensis-Utis Nov-Mar Aug 11
Pinus roxburghii- Khote Jan-Mar Aug 11
salla
Quercus gluaca – Oct-Dec Feb 17
Phalant
Dudhilo- Ficus neriifolia Jun-Aug Aug 11
Lapsi-Choerospondias Oct-Jan Feb 5
axillaries
Juglans regia-Okhar Sep-Dec Feb 5
Seto chuletro- Brassaiopsis May-June May-June 13-14
hainla
Litsea monopetala - May-Aug May-Aug 11-14
Kutmiro
Also Appendix 1: details of seed collection

• Planning seed supplies: The quantity of seed required must be calculated, the sources
identified, arrangements made for collection, and the cost estimated. Prepare a table as follows:
o List the number of healthy plants, of acceptable size required at the planting site.
o Assume that 20% of all pots sown or planted will not produce usable seedlings; this
means that the above number must be multiplied by 100/80, or 5/4.
o In the absence of germination test results, assume that for every four seeds sown;
only one plantable seedling will be produced.
o Find the number of seeds per gram.
o Calculate the weight of seeds to be sown in grams.

Datas Utis Khote Phalant Dudhilo Lapsi Okhar Seto Kutmiro

salla chuletro
1. Number of 5000 5000 200 1200 300 400 1000 1000
plants needed
2. No. of 6250 6250 250 1500 375 500 1250 1250
plants to be
produced =(1)
*5/4
3. No. of seeds 25000 25000 1000 6000 1500 2000 5000 5000
needed =(2)*4
4. Seeds/kg 1M 10000 700 1.5M 1500 70 30000 5000
5. Seeds/gm 1000 10 0.7 1500 1.5 28000 30 5
6. Total 25 25000 1428 4 1000 28000 170 1000
grams
needed=(3)/(5)
7. Size of pot 3/7 3/7 4/7 4/7 4/7 4/7 4/7 4/7

• Supplies of other materials: We can calculate on information given on table for quantity of
polypots, soil, sand and compost.
a) Polypots:
12500 pots 3/7 inch= 19.5 kg
6625 pots 4/7 inch= 13.0 kg
b) Potting mixture:
A ratio of
3:1 soil : sand mixture for utis and Khote salla (Pine).
3:1:1 soil: sand: compost for all other species.

12500 pots 3/7 inch = 3.4 m3

6625 pots 4/7 inch = 3.2 m3

Table: Calculation of potting mixture (in Cubic meters)

Pot size(Inch) Total Soil Sand Compost

3/7 3.4 2.55 0.85 0
4/7 3.2 1.92 0.64 0.64
Total 6.6 4.47 1.49 0.64

• Calendar of operations: By making a comprehensive calendar that includes all activities for
all species, it is easy to see how much labor and materials are needed at each each season. This
calander forms the basic of the budget. It also indicates when extra labor is needed and
materials must be ordered that cannot be obtained locally.

Table: Calendar of operations for Chuletro (Brassaiopsis hainla)

December-January Order polypots and other materials

Feb-May Explore seed availability, arrange for collection
Feb-April Collect soil & sand
April Prepare potting mixture
April-May Fill pots
May Collect material for mulch
June Clean and sow seed
July-Aug Remove mulch, transplant extra plants into
 empty pots
July-Sept Collect vegetation for compost making
Aug-Oct General maintenance, weed, water, turn
compost
Nov Prepare and erect shades for winter frost
protection
Nov-Feb Erect shades daily in evening, remove early in
morning
March Space n root prune
April-July Root prune
April-May If necessary, prepare shades in readiness for
hail
June-July Prepare plants for transport