ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR SANTALUM ALBUM IN MANMALAI RF OF THURAIYUR RANGE AT TIRUCHIRAPPALLI DISTRICT

Survey was carried out in, Manmalai RF in using Transect method. Santalum album population shows drastic decline in population due to various reasons. Santalum album population is dense one part of the area and occurs mostly in plain and in boundaries Manmalai Reserved forests. Sandal population in Reserved forest occurs mostly in plains and in the boundaries. This RF comprises of 3 beats-Echampatti, Koppampatti and Murungapatti. In Echampatti beat good population of sandal plants occurs. In general, sandal wood trees occurs mostly in plain and upto foot hills and upto the elevation of 300m and along the boundaries of RF. Sandal associates in this RF are Albizia amara, Cassine glauca, Acacia chundra, A. planifrons, Dodonea viscosa, & Pavatta indica, Zizyphus oenophila, Chloroxylon sweitenia, Lantana camara, Carissa carandus Carissa spinarum, Erythroxylon monogynum. Though biotic the interferences are less in reserved forests, still sandal smugglers are the felling of sandal trees of girth 20-30cm to check the heartwood farming. Our results have important implications for the conservation strategies for Santalum album populations in Forest area and can be applied for the conservation of other taxa as well.