Digging deeper around growing trees in India

When was the last time you sat under a tree and heard those birds chirp continuously. Those branches make rustling noises. If you are someone like me, it's been years if not a full decade that I sat under a tree. We may think it to be normal, but if deforestation continues at this pace (India's deforestation rate between 2015 and 2020 was 668,000 hectares per year, which was the second highest rate in the world) the next generation will not see trees when they grow up, if they are lucky they will see them in society parks & small gardens.

Remember summers this year? India suffered severe heat waves, & climate scientists have calculated that heat waves will only get worse from here on, with the record amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses being emitted.

Since childhood we are taught that trees help us offset emission by absorbing carbon dioxide. But when it comes to planting trees there is a lot of misinformation & common myths around the topic.

Things to keep in mind while planting trees

Tree species doesn’t matter while planting

Exotic, non native trees disrupt local ecosystems, deplete groundwater and hinder the growth of other indigenous plants. Classic examples can be Prosopis Juliflora & Lantana Camara , both invasive species that have affected India for decades.

Some of the native species to Indian geography are:

Amla Trees - Emblica officinalis

Gulmohar Tree - Delonix

Pipal Trees - Ficus religiosa

Jackfruit Tree - Artocarpus heterophyllus

Banyan Trees - Ficus Benghalensis

Neem Tree - Azadirachta indica

Champa Trees - Plumeria acutifolia

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trees_of_India

It is important to note that the native species may vary based on topography and climate conditions in India. For instance native species of Himachal pradesh will be different from that of say Rajasthan. Native tree species are always a better option for reforestation and biodiversity restoration. They are adapted to the local climate, support local wildlife, and help maintain ecological balance.

There is a report called Right Tree for Right Place and Right Purpose by Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry which highlights the importance of choosing the right tree to make tree plantation drive successful.

Location of planting trees are equally important

While the intention of planting trees is noble, we should be mindful of where we plant trees. Trees planted in some systems can have undesirable effects on the ecosystem.

For instance during mass planting drives, trees are often planted in degraded areas, roadsides, canal sides, railways, community lands and open forest areas.

Natural grasslands or rangelands are rehabilitated using unwanted tree species, disrupting the natural balance of ecosystems.

Tree planting is not a one-time event, 2-3 years of maintenance is a must

Tree planting should be viewed as becoming a parent. Either you or the caretaker will have to be invested & committed to safeguard and enrich the small plant till it grows into a big tree. Maintenance & monitoring is a must, regular watering, manuring, clearing weeds and fencing to protect plants till they turn into big trees.

Things to note before donating for tree plantation drives

1. Is the Organization an NGO? If yes, check for the 80G certification of the organization
2. Do they share progress reports? Check their website for progress on the status of trees via photos and videos.
3. Are you allowed to visit the site? The organization must be willing to invite you to visit the plantation site
4. Check their testimonials & reviews and connect with the people who have worked with the organization in the past 5.Check how your donation is used? Check whether the organization has some level of cost breakdown of what goes into planting & nurturing trees. Although it's difficult & ineffective to do exact penny mapping with each activity, organizations that are open about their general costing are more trustable.

Trusted Organizations for Planting Trees

• Catch Foundation is a NGO restoring the health of cities by growing urban dense forests to increase green cover with mass native species plantation.

• Say trees does all this with support from individuals and corporates which wish to bring change to the society under their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives. As an NGO they are registered under section 12A and 80G of Income Tax. SayTrees also holds the FCRA certificate to receive donations from outside India.

• 14 trees - Based in Pune, 14 trees are planting native trees on barren hills. The area they work on is where currently only grass grows, which is burnt every year, where trees do not survive naturally. There are various other challenges in the surrounding areas where the topsoil is eroded, and where groundwater is completely depleted.

• Acasia Eco is an organization working on implementing greening solutions to increase urban forests and mass plantations. They engage with private and public stakeholders for execution of forestation projects in consulting or turnkey approach.

• Green Yatra is a leading environmental NGO in India working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through tree plantation, urban biodiversity conservation, water bodies restoration, sustainable solutions, and environmental research and awareness

Stories of Hope & Change

India has always been at forefront and a global example in tree plantation drives & forest conservation. We believe that the following stories will inspire & educate you to take action.

The Piplantri Model

Piplantri is a small village in the Rajmanda district of Udaipur, Rajasthan known for its unique eco-feminism model. The story starts in 2005 with the former sarpanch of the village Shri. Shyam Sunder Paliwal.

The village was known for its marble mines and quarries, excessive mining led to acute water scarcity which became a nightmare for local residents. They also saw absolutely barren swaths of land with no trees or greenery left.

There was one more problem that troubled Mr Paliwal, girls were killed before they were born. The villagers saw girl child as a liability and no one wanted to have them. Things became personal for Mr Paliwal when his own 17 year old daughter died due to dehydration.

He took it upon himself to make things better, first by creating awareness about planting trees and also by educating about saving water. The quarry and mining project was canceled and the firm was ordered to evacuate the place.

Mr Paliwal, really encouraged girl child birth by creating Kiran Nidhi Yojana which involved the panchayat opening a bank account in the girl child’s name and depositing an initial payment of Rs. 21,000 into it. They also asked parents to deposit Rs. 11,000 and sign an affidavit that they will not kill the girl and educate her till she turns 18. From being a burden to becoming a reason for celebration. That's how the situation changed and with each girl child birth the village celebrated by planting 111 trees.

The whole village was undergoing a social and ecological change. This was the unique eco-feminism model of Piplantri. Due to this initiative, more than 3 lakh trees have been planted. Water levels that were below 800 ft have risen up 15ft. to ground level in mere 5 years.

"Mr Paliwal was awarded Padma Shri by President of India for social service in 2021. He is also known as the "Father of Eco-Feminism".

Van Mahotsav: India's National Tree Plantation Festival

At the outset of independence, India started a festival, first in Delhi and later across the country. Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting festival celebrated across India from July 1st to July 7th.

Schools, colleges and Government & Non government organizations come together and create awareness programmes and plantation drives across India. Over the years this festival has gained momentum and it has become a medium to educate & empower people.

Forest man of India -

At the age of 16 a young boy from Majauli, Assam was extremely distressed by what he saw in his surroundings. Due to extreme heat after floods, a lot of snakes died in front of him. He decided to do something about it. In 1979 he embarked on a mission to plant one sapling a day, 45 years later it has turned into a 1360 hectares of forest.

Padma Shri Jadav “Molai” Payeng, popularly known as Forest man of India is on a mission to educate people about the importance of planting trees across the world. He not only advocates planting but also explains the importance of taking care of the trees and the importance of growing indigenous species to benefit the local environment.

The forest, called Molai forest after him, is located near Kokilamukh of Jorhat, Assam, India and encompasses an area of about 1,360 acres / 550 hectares. In 2015, he was honored with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.

Source- Wikipedia

Project Green Hands, Tamil Nadu -

Started in June 2004, Project Green Hands is a grassroots ecological initiative of Isha Foundation in Tamilnadu. In the last two decades the project has planted more than 25 million saplings across Southern India.

It holds a Guinness world record holder for planting 8lakh+ sapling, the most trees planted in 3 days. The trees were planted in 6284 different locations in Tamil nadu by the Isha foundation.

Source

Way Forward & Conclusion

Our generation has a real shot to transform and make a positive impact in the coming decades. We were the first generation to fully understand and experience the wrath of climate change.

Stories of hope & change should encourage us to take the right step and contribute in planting trees. We should learn more about nature and avoid myths & fallacies surrounding plantation drives.

By right education and awareness drives we can make a real impact. Made for Planet aims to help individuals & organizations find the right resources and channels to grow & maintain trees & forests.