Pune Records Over 5.5 Million Trees: Comprehensive Tree Census Completed

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As part of a detailed tree census, Pune has officially recorded more than 5.5 million trees across the city’s 15 wards. The Mumbai High Court had issued orders for this census, which the Pune Municipal Corporation’s garden department carried out. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies, every tree’s information—including its geographic location, latitude, longitude, species, local and scientific names, diameter, and height—was meticulously surveyed. The final count shows a total of 5,581,578 trees in the city.

The census data, recorded under 15 regional offices, found 430 tree species in the city, with 75 families represented. The most common species are Giri Pushp trees, and the count of rare trees is 124. Notably, there are 2,838 heritage trees located in public spaces, with the banyan tree being recorded as having the largest trunk.

The areas with the highest greenery are Sahakar Nagar and Dhankawadi, while the Bhawani Peth region, known for its old Pune characteristics and traditional housing, shows the lowest tree count. Other areas like Hadapsar, Kothrud, Nagar Road, Shivajinagar, and Aundh-Baner have tree counts exceeding four lakh each.

In 1995-96, Pune had a tree count of 2.8 million, which increased to 3.6 million by 2007-08. The current count exceeds 5.5 million. The court has mandated a tree census every five years, but in practice, such censuses take seven to eight years to complete. The current count might still be incomplete, as some areas remain uncounted, potentially adding at least 2.5 lakh more trees to the tally, according to garden department officials. Future counts will aim for a more accurate assessment, potentially every ten years.

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The environmental report includes details on 430 species of trees, with 124 of these being rare species. Among these, Giri Pushp, a non-native Western species that is harmful to the local environment, has been identified as needing eradication. Environmentalists and organizations have called for the removal of these trees, advocating instead for the planting of native species. Twenty-five years ago, fast-growing tree species were planted due to a lower tree count, and many construction professionals followed suit. This led to awareness of environmental damage, prompting the municipal corporation to focus on promoting native trees. The corporation has now published a list of native species and made saplings of Indian species available for sale in tree parks.

Tree Counts by Regional Office:

1. Sahakar Nagar: 11,95,894

2. Hadapsar-Mundhwa: 4,99,757

3. Kothrud-Bavdhan: 4,88,965

4. Nagar Road-Wadgaon Sheri: 4,86,025

5. Shivaji Nagar-Ghole Road: 4,76,546

6. Aundh-Baner: 4,58,695

7. Dhole Patil Road: 2,85,469

8. Yerwada-Kalas-Dhanori: 2,56,430

9. Kondhwa-Yewale Wadi: 2,27,248

10. Wanwadi-Ramtekdi: 1,97,459

11. Warje-Karvenagar: 1,89,241