`Canopy management' launched to trim branches

`Canopy management' launched to trim branches

The Hindu

About 20 trees trimmed on an experimental basis

# Tree Officer to monitor a city-wide `tree census'
# Branches of roadside trees to be pruned
# Tree census may take 10 to 12 months
# Satellite imagery shows Bangalore has 40 per cent tree cover



LETTING THEM SURVIVE: Chopping of trees, as seen in this file photo, can be avoided if pruning is considered by the authorities. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: While the Tree Officer appointed for the city on the suggestion of the Task Force on City Traffic Management is to identify trees that obstruct traffic, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has started a "canopy management" programme.

Roadside trees will have their branches pruned and trimmed while the trees will remain intact. Deputy Conservator of Forests Krishna Uduoudi is the new Tree Officer.

Cutting of branches

The Horticulture Department of the BMP has found that branches are being pruned in a haphazard manner because they obstructed overhead telephone or electric lines or blocked the view of drivers. Often these trees did not grow back into a healthy state. At other places, the roots were cut or tarred over during road widening. During the last two years, scores of old trees fell all over the city following strong gales.

Horticultural experts had then pointed out it is not a case of dwarf varieties or others not suitable for the local conditions falling. Most of the trees had no room for their roots to spread out and this led to gradual decay. In other cases, growing trees had their branches cut regularly on one side, because they leaned on to private property; the trees grew up lopsided and leaned far on to the roads. This means their remaining branches too were regularly being trimmed and they lost strength.

The "canopy management" taken up by the Horticulture Department has been planned to take care of these shortcomings in tree management. On a trial basis, close to 20 trees had their branches trimmed on the road between Govindarajanagar Ward Office and Raheja Park Apartments. The objective is to see how the pruning could be limited to the most essential need while allowing the trees to grow in a healthy manner.

The Tree Officer is expected to monitor a city-wide "tree census" to determine how many trees are really a danger to traffic or at risk of falling down during heavy rain and strong winds. Trees which are unable to bear the air pollution and decaying will also be identified and experts consulted to replace them with trees which can survive the heavily polluted urban atmosphere.

The tree census may take 10 to 12 months and then a report on the status of trees on public lands will be placed before the standing committee of the BMP. The Task Force for Traffic Management may also be invited for its comments. The tree pruning or cutting exercise which may have to follow is likely to be jointly taken up with the Forest Department.

While satellite imagery shows Bangalore has a 40 per cent tree cover, the exact number of trees will be known once the tree census is completed. The street-wise data will also take into account the probable age of the trees and their health status and survival probability.