Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation to Conduct Tree Census After 12 Years,₹3 Crore Allocated for Tree Survey

Vasai: After a long gap of 12 years, the Tree Authority Department of the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has finally decided to conduct a tree census in the Vasai-Virar city area. The process has already begun, and the tender process is expected to be completed by next week. According to sources from the municipal corporation, a budget of ₹ 3 crore has been allocated for this project.

Previously, the tree census for all nine wards under the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation was conducted by Mumbai-based Teracon Ecotech Pvt. Ltd. during the period from 2013 to 2016. The report of this tree census was submitted to the then VVMC Commissioner Satish Lokhande in 2016-17. The Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation spans an area of 298.08 square kilometers. The survey recorded a total of 14,14,462 trees of 261 different species in the city area. These 261 species belong to 59 families, according to the study. The survey was conducted by Teracon Ecotech Pvt. Ltd. using geo-tagging and GPS technology. Each tree was classified based on its local name, height, age, and health condition.

Notably, 3,95,836 of these trees were betel nut trees alone. Of the total trees surveyed, 71% were found to be in their prime growth stage, while 13,72,663 trees were recorded as healthy. Out of the 251 species, 140 were native species, with a total of 11,05,543 trees belonging to these local species. Importantly, most of the trees surveyed were on private property, with a count of 11,31,598 trees. Ward ‘A’ (13,745.6 square kilometers) was recorded as having the highest number of trees, while Ward ‘G’ (1195.76 square kilometers) had the lowest tree count. 

The tree census is expected to provide valuable insights into the current status of trees in the region, helping in future urban planning and environmental conservation efforts.