Urban trees improve air through carbon sequestration, reduce other pollutants and particulate matter, protect our water, intercept rainfall and help recharge ground water and reduce noise pollution. They help save energy, provide food and timber and also add aesthetic value. They also increase traffic safety, improve economic sustainability, reduce stress and improve health and increase social benefits.

We are aware of the countless tales and stories of Indian cities unfolding and growing in close proximity to nature in all eras and times. Many of the rulers and planners planned cities in harmony with nature. But things have changed drastically. Haphazard, unplanned growth, rapid industrialisation and increased levels of pollution have deteriorated the urban environment. Open space per person is reducing day by day and the green cover is shrinking.

The open spaces originally conceived in the master plan by means of green belts, river/water fronts, parks and gardens, tree lined avenues, etc., have not been woven into the city fabric. These open spaces belong to all and are vital for existence and continuity of urban life. Emphasis needs to be laid on increasing the green cover by everyone.

The benefits from trees spread far beyond the areas where they are planted. They remove from the global atmosphere great quantities of carbon dioxide, the major ‘greenhouse gas’ responsible for global climate change. They take this carbon and turn it into things that we need such as food, clothing, shelter, medicines, organic fertiliser and humus – eventually returning the carbon to the soil efficiently, completing the carbon cycle!

A tree is a complete ecosystem. The services provided by a mature tree have been evaluated to be around rupees forty lakhs (Rs. 40 Lakhs). Trees work 24 x 7 to improve our environment and quality of life. Life is hard for these trees because of limited space, water, nutrients in addition to the extensive concrete pavement covering the soil around them and choking them. The urban forest (and its many benefits) will disappear unless we stand up for these trees and plant, maintain and nurture them.

There is either limited or no open space for the trees to grow due to impervious concrete tiling or tarring. This has a detrimental affect on the trees and our environment: Tiling up to the trunk severely hampers air and water absorption. The trunk cannot grow and expand properly, which ultimately affects their growth and survival. The tiling does not allow water percolation, thus reducing ground water recharge. As the tiles heat up, the roots near the surface get scorched, destroying the root systems, weakening their grip on the soil, leading to the uprooting of trees even during mild storms.

During tiling, the most fertile part of the soil, i.e., the top soil is removed and substituted with inert asphalt. Tiling prevents the growth of grass and undergrowth which are effective in trapping carbon dioxide and dust and retaining moisture for a longer time.

Not removing the tree guards in time and nailing of advertisements on the trunk cut into the trees and hamper the flow of xylem and phloem. Excessive and improper pruning of trees disturbs the balance and sometimes leads to its death. Digging near the trees for laying cables, pipelines, etc., cuts into the root system and exposes them, thus, damaging the tree. A tree in an urbanx space influences the micro climate, therefore it should not be cut. If it is to be cut due to unavoidable reasons, it has to be compensated by planting and nurturing 10 saplings.

Every city has its own spatial image and visual density. This density is composed of its natural and cultivated landscapes. A sustainable landscape system, if properly conceived, integrated, developed and maintained, will help weave the ‘green’ city fabric. This will involve the participation of concerned agencies of the government, viz., the forest department, horticulture department and town planning and, most importantly, the citizens.

Realising the important role of students, CLEAN-India (Community Led Environment Action Network) programme launched in 1996 by Development Alternatives incorporated tree plantation and care as one of the major components of the programme. This involves orientation and training of students, teachers, local NGO partners, working in partnership with the local municipal bodies, horticulture / forest departments, schools and other institutions, corporates, etc.

CLEAN- India programme is a holistic programme of Assessment, Awareness, Advocacy and Action. The green cities project involves assessment of the green cover through tree surveys to understand both the extent of tree cover as well as the species planted - whether they were indigenous and not mono culture, their status (whether tiled till the trunks, girdled or ailed, lopped, etc.), and their health and survival rate. The next step involves spreading awareness in the neighbourhood, community and schools about the tree status as well as threats to them and steps to take care of them. The student groups also interact with government agencies and write to them about their findings demanding suitable action.

Under the CLEAN-India programme, students have planted over a million trees and nurtured them. While doing so they took care to plant native species, leave minimum open space of 6’x6’ around the saplings and maintain a record. In this process, they realised that making a tree survive was not easy and so we need to take care of mature trees.

One of the important and interesting spin offs was creating a micro ecosystem in their schools. Through this project, the students became familiarised with the diverse native trees, shrubs and grasses in their neighbourhood. They realised their importance and benefits on how the various species managed during the seasonal changes - either by shedding leaves or by dropping seeds before wilting (so they sprout again), maintain data about the species, maintain a seed bank and identify various problems faced by them and take action to increase native species diversity in the area.

Each CLEAN-India member is a tree ambassador and has the responsibility of helping their cities become/ stay ‘Green’.  q

Usha Srinivasan
ushus68@hotmail.com