Forestry Ideas

11-23

Authors: Purna Jana and Nagendra Prasad Todaria

Clean water is necessary to support the healthy living. Water is one of most important natural resources which supports several aspects of human development. Access to safe clean drinking water has a direct bearing on both quality and prosperity of human life. In Himalaya due to several natural and anthropogenic problems this precious natural resource is facing threat. The present study has attempted to form a water quality index (WQI) of three sacred groves located in Uttarakhand. Sacred grove is an age-old tradition where a forest patch or a water body is dedicated to local deity where cutting plants or killing animals are strictly prohibited, and is supposed to have high hydrological value. Water Quality Index is renowned effective method to express water quality in a simple, stable and reproducible unit of measure which communicates information of water quality to the concerned citizens and policy makers. Also a household survey was carried out in the year of 2015 in order to gather information regarding safe drinking water availability and sanitation. The results show that the water of all sacred groves is safe for different household purposes except for drinking as it needs treatment to make it perfect for this purpose.

32-38

Authors: Gradimir Gruychev

Thirty-seven nests of Turtle Doves were found in the Sakar Mountains in 2014–2016. The average height of their situation was 5.3±1.8 (2.1–10) m. The average height of the trees-substrates was 7.9±2.5 (3–12) m. The earliest nesting was observed at the beginning of May. First laid eggs were found in the second half of May. Groups of flying juvenile Turtle Doves appeared in early June to the end of the research period. The first nests were observed on 01.05., eggs – on 21.05., and well-flying juveniles on 04.06. The largest number of nests was found in Oak (Quercus spp.) forests (n=12) and Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra) plantations (n=9). Breeding in small villages of the turtle dove in Bulgaria was established.

57-64

Authors: Vladimir Tomov

Four-year-old container Norway maple seedlings were forced in a glasshouse and were shaded. Etiolation of the shoots, as well as banding their base with black electric tape, was used in order to increase the rooting ability of the softwood cuttings. IBA as a 0.8 % powder was used for root stimulation. Both methods and the combination of them resulted in high percentage of rooted cuttings, but those which were only etiolated stroke faster and developed a better rooting system. Further research with mature genotypes can be included in future studies.

77-81

Authors: Gradimir Gruychev

The distribution and density of Coypu were researched in the downstream of the Maritsa River. Twenty-four new localities were found, twenty of them are situated along the Maritsa River. Three more new localities were found in ponds near the researched area. The average density was 3.4±2.3 (0–8 ind./9.6 km) – 0.35 ind./km. The average size of the social groups was 1.6±0.9 (1–4 ind.; n=42) from the Maritsa River and 2.4±0.99 (1–4 ind.; n=12) in the other three new localities in the ponds. An invasion of Coypu in the downstream of the Maritsa River is observed.