The tree as an urban coordinate

The tree as an urban coordinate

Analysis:

1. Neha Sinha, wildlife conservationist, discussing about the ongoing protests in some of India’s cities including Delhi and Mumbai to save trees in urban spaces.

Important facts:

2. Cities are centres of construction created mainly by the human hand.

3. Many cities including Delhi and Mumbai witnessing the ongoing protest to save trees.

4. Hundreds of Delhi residents took to the streets in protest against a plan to 14,000 trees cut for the “redevelopment” of government colonies.

5. Similarly, in Mumbai, citizens have been fighting for years to save over 2,000 trees in Aarey, to make way for a metro line car shed.

6. Forests in India:

• In India, forests are governed under the Forest (Conservation )Act, 1980, State laws, and the Indian Forest Act, 1927, which lay down elaborate rules for the conservation and diversion of forests.
• The UN’s REDD, or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries, programme lays emphasis on planting and maintaining forests as a means to counter climate change.
• Despite above benefits, forests are the first targets for developmental projects such as mining, dams, highways, industrial projects etc.
• Trees in cities mostly come under State Tree Acts, they can have variable descriptions. For example in Delhi, there are usually avenue or colony trees.
• Mature tree creates a sense of civilization in a way that a manicured green belt cannot.
• Trees in Delhi purify the air and also provide visual relief.
• Thus the fight for Delhi’s trees is also a fight for the right kind of species to be allowed to grow.
• Many new apartment complexes have green belts that do very little for biodiversity or the ecological idea of greenery.