BOOK REVIEW | Good Reads
Of cities & their trees!
W
hat lies at the intersection of history, culture and ecology of urban India? Native or imported? S a c r e d and ordinary? Culinary and floral? Favourites of various kings and commenters over the centuries? They are the most visible signs of nature in cities. Well, you are right I am talking of beautiful green tress in sprawling urban India and their importance since ages. The book under review, perhaps, could not have come at a more opportune time when, in the name of development, trees are being mercilessly cut down by different government authorities all across in Indian cities. Sadly enough, cutting a tree is the easiest of solutions for city planners and engineers. The authority that gives permission to cut trees in urban areas, issues such permissions without batting an eyelid! We have seen that in New Delhi
two years ago for the Sarojini Nagar redevelopment project large number of trees were to be hacked. Court intervened and it was stopped; then in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony, the metro shed construction claimed hundreds of trees and in the name of Smart City development in various parts of the country, the old trees are the instant falling preys. In 2016, a large number of nature-loving Bhopal citizens, took out tree marches to protest against cutting trees for a Smart City site. How can a city be called ‘smart’ without its old gorgeous trees is anybody’s guess. Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, has shown through its studies how trees are fast dwindling in our cities and giving rise to a host of problems. But nobody gives a damn to it. The two authors of this tiny but important book are professors in the Azim Premji University and have been working in the field of environment, urban issues and related sectors for a few years. While I have many books on trees in my personal collection, this is perhaps the first significant book that
Book Cities and Canopies--Trees in Indian cities Authors Harini Nagendra & Seema Mundoli Reviewers Recommendation Buy for personal library Publisher Penguin Pages 244 Price `499/-
44 May 2020 | www.urbanupdate.in
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Reads
Abhilash Khandekar Senior Journalist
talks about trees and cities! Of course, not before the iconic Trees of Delhi (2005) by Pradip Krishen. That was, in recent decades, the first of its kind book, well illustrated and talking about trees, their anatomy, families, seasons of flowering and their relationship with the city-New Delhi! Former Governor of West Bengal, while acknowledging Cities and Canopies, says a beautiful line: ‘You close this book with just one thought: Thank you, trees, for just being what you are, where you are’. That to me is the meaningful gist of this book which underlines the importance of trees in times of climate change challenges such as global warming. Divided into 22 highly interesting little chapters, the authors pick up a few well known trees such as jamun, banyan, palms, tamarind, amaltas, scarlet silk cotton, neem, peepul and drumstick and describe many uses of them, historical references and specialities in a highly absorbing manner. Then they also discuss, under chapter 10, ‘The great eucalyptus debate’ and go into the history of this known tree around which experts have always debated the pros and cons of having them or not, considering their environmental benefits and ecological disadvantages. There are close to 900 species of eucalyptus found across many parts of the world--the vast majority of these originated in Australia. Because they are fast-growing trees that do not require much maintenance and can be sold for a lot of money, commercial eucalyptus plantations have now spread out across the world. After Brazil, India has the largest area under eucalyptus plantations. However, the tree has a chequered history of growth and
