Abstract Body

Raising and nurturing the right trees in the right places suiting the nature of the terrain and the businesses of the given urban environment needs an integrated application of the science of ecology, botany and arboriculture. This paper illustrates a project being in implementation that aimed at introducing a group of 21 Rare, Endemic, and Threatened (RET) tree species which are suited to the urban and peri-urban areas in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India – a Biodiversity hot speck in the Global Biodiversity Hotspot Western Ghats. Apart from the rarity and threat status, these species qualify for their beneficial traits like high dust absorbance, balanced evapotranspiration, local identity and adaptation, good canopy density, timber value, and edible fruits and flowers that attract other forms of manageable biodiversity are the preferred traits in the selection of trees for greening. The Silviculture techniques of these 21 species have been worked out and a campaign is going on to plant these trees in urban and peri-urban environments- in parks, arboretums, institutional premises, along avenues, and coffee plantations. Three Municipalities of Wayanad district have been started focusing on greening their town limits by growing native tree species and medicinal plants. This project supports these efforts as part of a Conservation campaign called “Grow our dying” trees (God Trees), which aims to save 100 endangered tree species of Western Ghats- the most human dense global biodiversity hotspot in ex-situ condition as arboretums. A scientifically and aesthetically developed “green infrastructure” in cities and towns becomes an urgent strategic intervention in temperature reduction. This urban forest project has designed with this purpose and expected to bring results that would help achieve SDG 11 targets of reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities; universal access to safe and green public spaces, and strengthening links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas. The project is also to contribute the SDG 13 of climate mitigation and adaptation and Goal 15 of conservation of life on land.