BMP goes green, on a mission to count trees

BMP goes green, on a mission to count trees
The exhaustive survey will be used to check illegal tree cutting in the city. It will also provide a ready database for forest officials to study the requirement for planting trees.
The Times of India

Bangalore: The sprouting concern of the BMP for the trees in the City of Gardens has prodded them to undertake a census for this denizens.

The tree survey programme initiated by the BMP will include botanists to prepare a database for every single tree in all the 100 wards of the city. The survey undertaken by the forest department wing of BMP is currently carrying out a pilot project in ward number 7 of Malleshwaram which will be extended to the rest of the wards. The exhaustive survey which will not only be used to check illegal tree hacking in the city but also will be a ready data base for the forest officials to study the requirement for planting trees.

“It is a BMP-citizen initiative where the programme will be a success by mutual contributions,’’ said deputy conservator of forests Krishna D Udapudi.

Under the programme, a team of five people comprising a botanist, a student volunteer along with three BMP officials will survey the trees. While the student and BMP helpers will measure the girth of the trees and the road on which it is situated, the botanist will specify its species, its condition and compile the data. After a tree has been studied, it will be numbered with a yellow paint.

“The condition of the tree can fall under three categories — namely sound, fit to be removed, and can be managed by pruning. This can be best judged by a botanist alone,’’ added Udapudi.

We have planned to cover the trees situated on the road sides and within the compounds of government educational institute and hospitals and later go to private compounds and industrial layouts.

The survey is expected to be completed by March this year. “The data of the survey will act as a guiding book for the forest department to also decide which species is doing well in Bangalore’s climate and thereby promote more plantations of that species. Once each tree is numbered, the BMP will issue plates with the tree details on it which will be pinned on the respective trees.

“Since all the future decisions regarding trees will be based on the data given to us, it has to be an authentic one,’’ he added.
During the process of survey, advertisements nailed on the trees will be removed
along and trees will be fertilised.