With new constructions happening in and around Kochi almost every other day, have you ever wondered what is the state of the green cover in Kochi? Well, Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) is on a mission to find this through an initiative to map trees with public participation. The green initiative as part of the 'Serve to Preserve campaign', will survey and record the details of the existing trees in Kochi, making a precise data bank about the city’s green cover. The data will also enable the town planners and local body authorities to scientifically expand the green cover, CSML officials said.
The initiative, done in collaboration with the India Smart City Fellowship Programme, started last week in Kochi, starting with the mapping of trees in Fort Kochi. So far, mapping of trees has been completed in five wards under the Kochi Corporation — Fort Kochi, Kalvathy, Earavely, Karippalam and Mattancherry. CSML officials said that the project will be done across the city, with public participation.
Trees are mapped with the aid of the Smart Kochi App, a mobile application of CSML. Anybody can register themselves on the mobile app and click pictures of the via, enabling it to record the location. The users will also be asked to manually enter minimal input to assess the age of the tree and other identification marks.
Once mapped, the trees will be visible on the app as red and green dots, which will indicate old and newly-planted trees.
“During development projects, trees are usually razed to the ground. But we lose track of the green cover in that particular area or where the new trees can be transplanted to compensate for the green cover loss. The tree mapping helps both people and authorities to identify places with no trees and help expand the green cover accordingly,” said the spokesperson of CSML.
However, CSML officials reiterated that in order to complete the project successfully, the initiative would require public participation.
Meanwhile, environmental experts have welcomed the initiative and said that more basic details such as the name of the tree and the length of canopy cover should also be collected.
“This is important because we can even analyse the oxygen level of the particular space. It is also important that such a good initiative be sustained and completed as planned. We often see green initiatives being launched but stalled mid-way,” noted Dr CM Joy, a member of Ernakulam Tree Committee and also the President of Kochi-based environmental group called Kerala Nature Protection Council.