Decision Maker: Deputy Conservator of Forests , BBMP
Ask: BBMP to act on HC order and conduct tree census in Bangalore.
A conversation initiated in 1976, Bengaluru has not witnessed a tree survey in four decades.
Environmentalist Dattatraya T. Devare and Bangalore Environment Trust filed a PIL in 2018 and nudged our municipal corporation (BBMP) to act on the same. Post which, in August 2019, Karnataka High Court directed BBMP to conduct a tree census as per the provisions of the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976 (Also known as the ‘Tree Act.’)
Despite a lack of technical amenities and manpower crisis in the forest department of BBMP, the civic body is yet to shake hands with a research institute to conduct the long impending tree census in Bangalore.
What is tree census and why is it important?
A tree census indicates the population of trees in a particular geography. It is an exercise that helps take stock of our greenery, understand the local biodiversity and find ways to improve Bangalore's dwindling canopy.
Tree census is not merely about recording the number of trees, but chronicling its history with every detail relevant to a particular tree.
An accurate tree census will be the foundation of the environmental impact assessment especially in places where tree felling requests have been received.The tree census would act as a reference point to ensure that the expansion of the city doesn’t happen at the cost of its greenery.
BBMP's website displays nine volumes of the tree census reports by the forest department’s Bangalore urban division, which hardly provide any data on the GPS location of the trees. Though the same was directed by Karnataka HC. Similarly, the Palike’s four reports do not have location details of trees.
These reports do not help the common man know any details of trees as the format of the data is not only inaccessible, but confusing, considering the lack of any details about the area, ward and road on most of the pages.
Accurate information on the number of trees in the city is fundamental to find longstanding ways of enriching its canopy and preserving greenery. The census will make available details of every tree such as species, age, health and girth et all complete with geotagging thus enabling accountability.
With the administration of trees handed over to the Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP,
We Urge the Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, to conduct a tree census in namma city.
Sources :
Tree census: 3 years after HC order, Bengaluru can’t count on BBMP, forest dept | Deccan Herald
Bengaluru's trees to now be managed by BBMP | Deccan Herald
Bengaluru tree census: Can we count on BBMP forest department?
No need for experts, BBMP can count trees
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION: TREE ACT -
Decision Maker: Deputy Conservator of Forests , BBMP
Ask: BBMP to act on HC order and conduct tree census in Bangalore.
A conversation initiated in 1976, Bengaluru has not witnessed a tree survey in four decades.
Environmentalist Dattatraya T. Devare and Bangalore Environment Trust filed a PIL in 2018 and nudged our municipal corporation (BBMP) to act on the same. Post which, in August 2019, Karnataka High Court directed BBMP to conduct a tree census as per the provisions of the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976 (Also known as the ‘Tree Act.’)
Despite a lack of technical amenities and manpower crisis in the forest department of BBMP, the civic body is yet to shake hands with a research institute to conduct the long impending tree census in Bangalore.
What is tree census and why is it important?
A tree census indicates the population of trees in a particular geography. It is an exercise that helps take stock of our greenery, understand the local biodiversity and find ways to improve Bangalore's dwindling canopy.
Tree census is not merely about recording the number of trees, but chronicling its history with every detail relevant to a particular tree.
An accurate tree census will be the foundation of the environmental impact assessment especially in places where tree felling requests have been received.The tree census would act as a reference point to ensure that the expansion of the city doesn’t happen at the cost of its greenery.
BBMP's website displays nine volumes of the tree census reports by the forest department’s Bangalore urban division, which hardly provide any data on the GPS location of the trees. Though the same was directed by Karnataka HC. Similarly, the Palike’s four reports do not have location details of trees.
These reports do not help the common man know any details of trees as the format of the data is not only inaccessible, but confusing, considering the lack of any details about the area, ward and road on most of the pages.
Accurate information on the number of trees in the city is fundamental to find longstanding ways of enriching its canopy and preserving greenery. The census will make available details of every tree such as species, age, health and girth et all complete with geotagging thus enabling accountability.
With the administration of trees handed over to the Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP,
We Urge the Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, to conduct a tree census in namma city.
Sources :
Tree census: 3 years after HC order, Bengaluru can’t count on BBMP, forest dept | Deccan Herald
Bengaluru's trees to now be managed by BBMP | Deccan Herald
Bengaluru tree census: Can we count on BBMP forest department?
No need for experts, BBMP can count trees
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION: TREE ACT -
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