Trees are important for maintaining the balance of nature and keeping nature alive on the Earth. However, given the rising population and deforestation, the quantity of trees has declined drastically. Delhi’s MCD has launched a ‘tree census’ powered by AI—here are the details.
Delhi’s MCD Launches AI-Based ‘Tree Census’
Officials informed that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has started the first tree census in areas under its jurisdiction. It entails counting, marking, and geotagging every tree in parks and public areas. The officials stated that the geo-tagging portion of the exercise will occur in the second phase. It will follow the completion of the first manual phase, which should take 15 days.
According to Mayor Shelly Oberoi, all 250 wards have begun the procedure. She further stated that every tree will have a serial number attached as part of this effort by the horticultural department. Trees will be manually surveyed in the first phase, and their locations and tags will be completed in the second.
To help locals and the government understand, prioritise, plan, and take action, a census is carried out to record the number of trees in a colony as well as their age, health, and conditions. The MCD is spread over 1397.3 sq km and is further subdivided into 250 municipal wards.
The zones are central, south, west, Najafgarh, Rohini, Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, SP-City, Keshavpuram, Narela, and Shahdara north and south. Through 1,500 km of internal colony highways, the corporation is in charge of 15,226 municipal parks totalling 5,172 acres.
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The majority of these parks—90% of which are fewer than 5,000 square metres—are classified as “housing area parks” in the city’s hierarchy of structured green spaces. The residential neighbourhoods benefit from these parks serving as green spaces.
It Will Help In Maintaining Green Areas
The mayor stated that by calculating the precise quantity of trees in each location, counting trees will probably aid the company in maintaining green areas more effectively. This practice will make it simple to identify trees and will also assist with the periodic pruning of trees.
By counting the trees, we can ensure that green spaces are preserved and that illicit tree-cutting is controlled. The precise statistics regarding the trees in each ward will be known after the conclusion of the survey. The plantation will be promoted in areas with little greenery based on this mapping.
According to a senior horticulture department official, the census is being conducted by about 4,000 workers, including field workers and gardeners, who aim to plant 30 to 40 trees every day on average.
Under a ₹52.5 lakh project, the New Delhi Municipal Council, which is in charge of Lutyens’ Delhi’s green area, finished its tree census in 2020. Using a Mumbai-based company, the city authority began the census in December 2019. Next, a survey was conducted on New Delhi’s 135 roadways, the locations of over a century-old trees.
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The information gathered covered a tree’s girth, height, crown area, location, deformity, blooming season, ability to take in and release oxygen, and whether or not it had ever been uprooted.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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