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Ahmedabad to have tree census...

         How about keeping a digital watch on the chopping of trees in the narrow lanes of Ahmedabad? Great for sure, would say tree-lovers and environmentalists. And the great idea might soon turn into reality as the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Gujarat University (GU) and the state forest department have geared up to establish an electronic database after the first ever tree census in Ahmedabad.

         The initial idea is to get a concrete figure on the tree population in Ahmedabad as presently there are only some estimations and random surveys with speculative figures of the number of trees. The proposed tree census is supposed to start from the first week of May this year.

         While the census would be carried out manually, Global Positioning Sysytem (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) would be put in place to get an electronic database of the types of trees and the exact number of trees in the city. At the end of the survey the database would even hold minute details of the tree population in the city.

         The tree census would enable to get reliable scientific documentation of tree species which are rare in the city, define the number of trees per person in the city, a reliable indicator of climate change and C-stock and the greening efforts required in the city.

         The tree census would be done in all the parts of the city covering educational institutions like schools, colleges, universities, residential areas, road-sides, road-dividers, ponds, open spaces, parks among others. The tree census would enable the authorities to get a better estimate of the required green cover. Trees should be viewed as an infrastructure, most needed for proper sustainable development of the city.

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