Urbanisation and climate change have affected the growth of trees in the city.
What’s it about? Over the years, the state and Bengaluru have witnessed decreasing green cover. Data showed that the city lost 12.9 sq km of dense forest between 2011 and 2021. While one reason is urbanisation, another is climate change. As the city gets warmer, the habitat becomes less hospitable for different tree species.
- 70% of the species in the city are experiencing stressful conditions. This will increase to 88% by 2050. Some of the signs of poor health include wilting, bare patches, and broken branches.
- What can help is planting mechanisms that are climate-resilient. Officials should identify species that can withstand extreme heat and provide rich resources during their critical years.
Importance of urban trees: For a sprawling city like Bengaluru, trees help settle the dust. This is a problem due to persistent construction activity and pollution. They also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For roads under the shade of trees, the surface temperature is cooler.
- Green infrastructure helps control air pollution and stormwater management, which Bengaluru is failing at. The government needs to be mindful of planting trees so they can survive for several decades.