Maintenance of existing grasslands
Satpura Tiger Reserve has about 10% of the area that can be classified as grasslands including natural blanks on Pachmarhi plateau, anthropogenic grassland due to relocation of villages and draw down areas of Tawa reservoir. These grasslands were Neemghan, Madai, Keria, Dhain, Geetkheda. In addition to these, new grasslands have been created by relocation of 23 villages from the core area. Moreover, all the available grasslands are of anthropogenic origin and subjected to agriculture, grazing etc. Because of their anthropogenic origin if these grasslands are not manipulated, they will be invaded by woody plants and eventually disappear. High degree of protection and maintenance is required for these grasslands to support a sizeable population of herbivores which are dependent on them.
The important practices for grassland management are:-
1. Removal of weeds
2. Fire protection
3. Uprooting of woody growth
4. Rotational grazing
5. Rotational control burning
6. Soil-moisture conservation
7. Maintenance of water sources
8. Restocking of grasslands
Creation of new grasslands
Since there are very few grasslands in the reserve, creation of new grasslands which are well distributed throughout the reserve is an imperative to ensure sufficient prey base for tigers and co-predators. Since, Sambar and gaur are the major prey species, these grasslands need not to be meadows without woody growth. Instead area with low canopy density, with soil supporting good grass growth beneath were taken up for the purpose.
Similar management practices applicable for new grasslands are:-
1. Areas are demarcated on the ground, having on low canopy density with soil supporting good palatable grasses. Demarcation is done by making blazes on the trees of boundaries.
2. All advance growth of Lendia, Palash, Bhirra, Teak etc. up to 20cms gbh is uprooted.
3. All the weeds including lantana are uprooted with minimum soil disturbance in the month of July-August. Some Brushes of Reni, Ber may be left scattered in whole plot for the purpose of hide.
4. Soil & moisture conservation works e.g. construction of Boulder and Brushwood check dams are taken up in the area.
5. Every selected site should have one perennial source of water within 500m of the area. If such source do not exist, if possible a new perennial water source is created.
6. Fire regime in such areas is applied only after proper study of the site.
7. Mopping up of weeds and woody encroachments is carried out for minimum two years after the main operation.
8. Area is closed for grazing for at least 3 years including main operation years.