Trees

In 2012, Hyderabad became the first Indian city to have a City Biodiversity Index (CBI), at least on paper. As an assessment tool, the Index is an invaluable tool for city authorities to monitor and evaluate biodiversity with a view to aid conservation efforts. Launched amid much fanfare to coincide with Hyderabad hosting the UN Convention on Biodiversity in 2012, the Index is now defunct. It has not been updated or used since its launch by Hyderabad’s civic bodies. Similarly, the Biological Diversity Act (2002) has provisions for establishing Biodiversity Management Committees in all local bodies, whether Panchayats or city…

If you just happen to drive along the wide, tree-lined Southern Avenue -- aptly named for its location in the southern part of the city of Kolkata and the giant trees that form a canopy along much of its stretch -- you may not be able to fully fathom the beauty of the 192-acre lung space of the city that you have just passed by. But if you have a moment to spare and enter the sprawling precincts of the Rabindra Sarobar Lake to the south of the main thoroughfare, you will undoubtedly be drawn forever to this verdant sanctuary…

They are always a familiar sight – MCD workers patiently sweeping the tiny green leaves that rain down in a never-ending shower from the evergreen trees that line Delhi’s neighbourhoods; children playing with the long brown seed pods scattered on pavements; lovers resting against its muscular trunk. If ever a tree has ‘gone native’, it is the vilayati kikar (Prosopis juliflora). The Mexican tree species was first brought into the city by the British who wanted a hardy tree that grew fast in Delhi’s arid soil to best implement their idea of an ‘ideal’ colonial capital with avenues lined by…

With the greatest respect to the Minister of Sericulture and Animal Husbandry, GH Krumbiegel was my great grandfather, I am only an interloper in Bengaluru I do however have his passion for trees and my profession is also architecture it's very important for me to try and protect his legacy for future generation of Bengaluru and indeed my grandchildren Things have to change for any country to progress as I understand the citizens are not against the new hospital site; top architects have already come forward willing to work pro bono with the existing plans (so no new permission will be needed…

BBMP has announced a Vanamahotsav walkathon tomorrow, Sunday May 21st, to encourage the public to plant 10 lakh saplings in the city in order to increase green cover. It is seeking active public participation to make the drive successful. Just as #CitizensForBengaluru object and protest when trees are sacrificed unnecessarily, we will support and participate tomorrow, when the BBMP wants to re-afforest and build a sustainable Bengaluru. Citizen participation is key to ensure that the public money (₹5Cr) is well utilized. It should be noted that such planting of saplings is not a substitute for existing trees. Due to the…

One of the wonderful things about Varsha Ritu and Grishma Ritu in our city is still the wonderful carpets of flowers that the trees lavish upon the ground beneath them. Here are just three flowering trees, the Copper Pod (Peltophorum pterocarpum), Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) and Honge (Pongaemia pinnata). Here is how one of the small roads looks after the Copper Pod flowers have fallen: This is a closeup of the Copper Pod flower and the seed which gives the tree its name: Here is the carpet of Honge flowers: A closer look: Honge carpet: The purple of the Jacaranda is…

How much of the green and open space do you get to enjoy? For somebody living in Trivandrum, the space is just a little larger than your daily broadsheet newspaper. Bengalureans get 2 sq metres of greenery, way below the WHO recommended 9 sq metre per resident. A Varanasi resident is more fortunate, with a green space as large as 6m x 4m balcony. The urban green cover is not something that India can be proud of. Various studies conducted in other cities too show the same plight, noted in this earlier report. While these statistics roughly show the vegetation…

ijay Nishanth, the founder of Vruksha, a non profit prganisation that works to protect trees, talks about how guidelines to put up hoardings are not being followed.He is also a member of Tree Committee in BBMP. Trees are often poisoned to death. Nishanth talks about how acid was poured on 17 trees in Marathahalli, to ensure visibility of hoardings. 14 of these trees died. An FIR was filed in this regard and the case has been assigned to the Lokayukta. He talks about how all of us can get together and work towards creating awareness of the need for saving…

In December 2016, a workshop on ‘Trees, Culture & Urban design’ was held in Bangalore as part of CEPT University’s Summer Winter School program. The focus of this 10-day winter school was to study the practice of tree worship in the city. Specifically, it looked at how people generate and sustain community spaces through worshipping the Peepul tree (Ficus Religiosa) shrine with its serpent stones and the raised platform around it, locally called the Ashwath katte. This workshop was based on previous research. The paper can be accessed here: The practice of tree worship and the territorial production of urban…

I was heading down M G Road in Bengaluru and just as I approached Anil Kumble Circle, I immediately looked back to see how much this one road had changed since this picture was taken from the same spot many years ago: Pic: Abraham Koshy The obvious difference is the exhaustive removal of the colour green from the scene; the entire tree-lined walkway on the left has now given way to a boulevard. I bade the crown jewel of this phenomenon, Namma Metro, goodbye as I turned into Cubban Park to head my destination for the day, Neralu, a citizen-organised…