Tree DNA to help catch timber thief

Forest officers often find it a challenging task to establish evidence against the illegal tree cutters.

In a first of its kind initiative in the country, a project has been taken up by Madhya Pradesh forest department to conduct DNA tests of all the tree species in a reserve forest in the state to help arrest the timber mafia active in the jungle.

Samples of all the tree species of Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary in Sagar district has been sent to the state forest research institute in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh to map their DNAs to help catch the illicit timber cutters in the forest, a senior forest officer said on Sunday.

“We have taken up a pilot project to map DNAs of all tree species in the Nauradehi reserve forest. The samples of all tree species in the forest have been sent to Jabalpurbased state forest research institute for the purpose. This will help us identify the timbers smuggled from the forest and subsequently arrest the timber smugglers”, the forest officer told this newspaper.

“This was the first time such an initiate has been taken in the country to curb illicit tree felling in forests”, Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary divisional forest officer Anku Awadhia said.

Sources said forest officers often find it a challenging task to establish evidence against the illegal tree cutters in the court leading to their acquittal.

But, DNA match of the timber with its parent tree could establish the charges of illicit tree felling against the accused in the court leading to his conviction.