Mahogany Tree

Mahogany, a prized timber tree, finds extensive commercial applications due to its durable nature and distinctive coloring. Indian Mahogany trees can reach heights of 30 to 40 feet, characterized by their fast upright growth and broad symmetrical crown, spanning 20 to 30 feet in width. The tree produces large greenish-brown capsules, which split into five parts, releasing flat, light brown, long-winged seeds. Its wood showcases a rich red-brown hue. Notably, both male and female flowers bloom on the same plant. The bark, a smooth dark brown, complements the pinnate leaves, measuring 12 to 25 cm long and featuring four to eight leaflets. The timber’s market value is substantial, making it an attractive option for farmers. Planting and nurturing Mahogany trees offers a significant opportunity for farmers to generate income while fostering reforestation.

 

Tree Dimensions on Maturity.

Maximum height of the tree (m)	20
Tree canopy spread (m)	15
Tree trunk diameter (inches)	20

Impact in Numbers 

Carbon Fixed  400 Kgs.

CO₂ reduction from the atmosphere by 1500 Kgs.

Increase in farmer income by 2500 INR per cubic foot of wood.

Value to the Farmer

The wood of the Mahogany tree finds versatile applications, including furniture, fixtures, musical instruments, inlays, boats, caskets, and more. Notably, it holds significant popularity in drum making. Harvesting and selling this wood can offer substantial benefits to farmers, enabling them to both profit from the wood and replant new trees in the cleared spaces.

About the Project – Plant a Mahogany Tree

Upon receiving the saplings, farmers will also receive comprehensive technical knowledge of their cultivation. This long-term project aims to provide continuous support to farmers for a duration of 3 years. Additionally, farmers will have the opportunity to be part of a group. They will be encouraged and educated about the benefits they can expect from growing these trees. Furthermore, these trees will be an integral component of a larger set distributed to farmers, contributing significantly to the improvement of their economic status.

Technology

The project utilizes geotagging to track the location of the trees. GPS technology is employed to mark the area boundaries accurately. Furthermore, farmer details, along with corresponding images, are recorded and documented. All the relevant data is efficiently captured and directly stored through mobile apps, facilitating real-time field data collection. Moreover, the process includes calculating the yearly carbon fixation, using expert-developed equations for various tree species in dedicated applications and reports. The project ensures total transparency throughout the data acquisition, storage, and analysis processes.

Impact assessment

The team actively measures the impact project generates on wildlife and farmers. Regular intervals are set for capturing all the relevant data, which is then analyzed by comparing it with the previous data collected on the same parameters, calculated a few months ago. Moreover, the observed changes are carefully measured against the planned results, enabling a comprehensive assessment of progress and effectiveness. Additionally, this data-driven approach ensures that the project’s impact can be accurately evaluated and necessary adjustments can be made to achieve the desired outcomes.

Reports

The project reports are prepared and sent to the contributors. The report covers the following

1) Trees status as of the last visit made

2) Any mortality in the trees planted

3) Carbon fixed in MT from the start of the project

4) Economic impact on the farmers.

5) Ecological impact created.