Shrubs to make up 75+% of Capital’s plantations this yr, may meet target

With Delhi slowly running out of land for carrying out its annual tree plantation, compensatory plantation and tree transplantation efforts, the annual greeningtargetof3.54millionsaplings this year will be largely met by planting shrubs, which make up about 76% of the total 2.76 million saplings being planted by the 19 greening agencies of the nationalcapital, forestdepartment officials have said.

The remaining 779,000-odd saplings, consisting of both shrubs and trees, will be distributed free of cost to residents through the 14 government nurseries.

Forest department officials said shrubs make a bulk of the share this time not just because of a paucity of space, but also because ground level vegetation is better at controlling dust pollution and will help make plantation exercises more meaningful.

Last year, shrubs comprised around 67% of saplings planted by Delhi’s greening agencies.

“Greening agencies have been asked to focus on green-scaping using shrubs, which aims to make central verges and medians greenerandcontroldustpollution. In larger spaces where trees are planted, shrubs also need to be accommodated at the base as withouttheseground-levelormidlevel vegetation, trees alone will not provide much to the overall ecosystemofanarea,” saidaforest official, onconditionofanonymity.

Data from this year’s plantation drive shows 2.10 million saplings will be shrubs and medicinal herbs, while 631,000 will be trees.

Residents can also visit the 14 government nurseries across the Capital to procure saplings from the 779,000 saplings that will be made available to them for free.