Taking stock of the green cover in Chennai

Nizhal has extended its tree survey to various neighbourhoods and wants residents to sign up as volunteers

The tree survey carried out by Nizhal, a trust that promotes concern for trees in Chennai, has got bigger this time. Residents from 10 neighbourhoods including Anna Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and Nungambakkam are currently part of the tree census that was started two months ago. “We had earlier carried out tree surveys at Thiruvanmiyur, Gandhi Nagar and areas that come under the jurisdiction of Ward 176 of Greater Chennai Corporation. Using Geographic Information System Mapping, we recorded tree surveys in Kotturpuram Urban Forest and Panagal Park,” says Shobha Menon, founder, Nizhal. In keeping with the challenges posed by the pandemic, this time the exercise seeks to engage residents to keep count of the trees in their respective localities.