Sun Jun 29 04:07:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text followed by a news article version:

**Summary:**

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to let the Tamil Nadu Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act, 1994, lapse, believing it has become counterproductive. The government hopes this will incentivize farmers to cultivate rosewood on their private lands, aligning with the state’s goal of increasing green cover. Officials argue that existing environmental laws are sufficient to regulate rosewood outside of forest areas. However, experts are concerned that the move could lead to increased exploitation of the vulnerable rosewood species, as the existing laws are not specifically designed for targeted conservation of a specific tree species and do not offer specific incentives to private landowners to conserve rosewood. They also note the long growth period of rosewood (around 30 years) and the lack of a current inventory of rosewood trees in the region.

**News Article:**

**Tamil Nadu Lapses Rosewood Act, Sparks Conservation Concerns**

**Chennai, June 29, 2025** – The Tamil Nadu government has allowed the Tamil Nadu Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act, 1994, to lapse, a move aimed at boosting rosewood cultivation on private lands but raising concerns among conservationists. The decision, formalized in a recent Government Order (G.O.), marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to managing the Dalbergia latifolia species, commonly known as rosewood.

The government argues that the Act, initially enacted to protect the dwindling rosewood population from illegal felling and trade, has become a hindrance to farmers. Officials believe removing restrictions on felling rosewood on private lands will encourage cultivation, aligning with the state’s goal of increasing green cover to 33% of its total land area, as dictated by the National Forest Policy.

“If the restrictions are lifted, farmers will be greatly benefited by getting competitive and remunerative prices for the rosewood trees grown on their patta lands. This will motivate farmers to take up planting of rosewood trees in large numbers on their patta lands,” the G.O. noted.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), Srinivas R. Reddy, assured that existing environmental laws, such as the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forests Act, 1949, and the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act, 1955, provide adequate protection for rosewood outside of designated forest areas.

However, experts are voicing strong reservations. They contend that the existing laws are not designed for the targeted conservation of specific species like rosewood and do not offer any incentives for private land owners to conserve rosewood on their land, unlike the rosewood act. Ecologist Naveen Babu warned that the repeal could lead to increased exploitation of the species, which already faced significant pressure in the past.

Furthermore, D. Narasimhan, former professor of botany at Madras Christian College, highlighted the slow-growing nature of rosewood, taking approximately 30 years to reach harvestable size. He also stressed the importance of mature rosewood trees as genetic resources for plant breeding and their continued depletion could seriously impact the species’ gene pool. He questioned the practicality of farmers embracing rosewood cultivation given the long wait for returns on their investment.

Adding to the concern is the lack of a comprehensive inventory of rosewood trees on private lands, raising questions about the government’s ability to effectively monitor and regulate the species’ population without the Rosewood Conservation Act in place.

Dalbergia latifolia is currently listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Tamil Nadu government’s decision is likely to face scrutiny as stakeholders debate the best approach to balancing economic incentives with the long-term conservation of this valuable tree species.

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