Mumbai: Mumbaikars will soon know the city's total number of trees as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to conduct a tree census. The census is on average conducted every five years by the Garden department. In the last census held in 2018, Mumbai had as many as 33.7 lakh trees, including 4 lakh trees in the Aarey. The civic body expects the total number of trees in the city to increase, thanks to the Miyawaki urban forest development.
“The meetings are scheduled with the BMC top officials and a tender will be floated to appoint an agency consisting of tree experts, and scientists who will carry out the tree census. In the last couple of years, as many as 5 lakh Miyawaki saplings have been planted and their survival rate is encouraging. We are positive that the total count of trees in Mumbai has increased from 34 lakh,” a senior officer from the Garden department told the FPJ.
Since January 2020, the BMC has developed around 78 mini forests, using the Japanese technique Miyawaki. The plantations include varieties like Anjan, Bel, Amala, Gunj, Arjun, Sonchafa etc. As per the 2018 tree census, Mumbai had a mixture of exotic and native trees.
However, the number of native trees was higher. Some of the exotic trees in the city are rainforest, gulmoher, and peltophorum among others. The native trees are Taman, Tamarind, Ashoka, Neem, Aegle, Peepal, Cashew, Mesua ferra, balsamiq, and Currant among others.
The BMC had taken four years to complete the 2018 tree census and for the first time, a Geographic Information system (GIS) based tree census was held which has a unique identification number for each tree. The civic body is expected to use a similar methodology. The 2018 census had costed more than Rs 2.5 crore.
Last tree census was held in 2018: The total tree count was approximately 33.7 lakh, including 29.75 lakh in Mumbai and 4.20 lakh inside Aarey.
As per the 2018 census, civic wards with the highest number of trees were:
N ward (Ghatkopar) had the highest number of trees at 2.92 lakh
P North ward (Malad) with 2.84 lakh
S ward (Bhandup) with 2.54 lakh
M West (Chembur) with 2.13 lakh
P South (Goregaon) with 1.86 lakh
The wards with the least number of trees were:
C ward (Marine lines-Kalbadevi) with 5,756
B ward (Masjid-Dongri) with 7,816 trees.
