In Trashi Yangtse District, traditional Desho paper makers are finding it difficult to get Daphne bark from the nearby forest. The reason is due to over extraction, the bark is now on the verge of extinction.
Gonpola, 65 from Phanteng village under Boomdeling Gewog has been making desho for 27 years now. But, he told BBS that unlike in the past, the Daphne barks (the main materials to make desho) are no longer grown in profusion.
Gonpola added that he has to travel to another village, which is about four hours walk from the nearest road point to get the bark. “With increased in production, the bark has become less. Some people extract it and sell to others. So we bring the bark from Merag, Sagteng and Monggar.”
However, to address the shortage, Trashi Yangtse Boomdeling Wildlife Sanctuary has planted around 1,500 wild Daphne saplings in Panglakarpo community forest last year. More programmes are in the offing to revive the Daphne trees.
“In the 12th Five-Year-Plan, we have plans to plant Daphne saplings on 200-300 acres of land,” said Chief Forestry Officer, Karma Tempa of Boomdeling Wildlife Sanctuary.
For desho paper makers, this initiative is giving them hope. “If the saplings grow well, it will surely benefit all of us- who are into desho paper making business,” said Gonpola.
Today, Trashi Yangtse has three desho manufacturing cottage industries.
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