SRINAGAR, Jan 23: A “Digital Tree Aadhaar” programme has been launched by the Jammu and Kashmir government for conservation of the majestic Chinars which will see creation of a comprehensive database of the tree facing threats due to rapid urbanisation.
Under the initiative, the chinar trees — a cultural and ecological symbol of J-K — are being geo-tagged and equipped with QR codes that record information, including its geographical location, health, and growing patterns, enabling conservationists to track changes and address risk factors.
The campaign involves use of modern technology, including Geographical Information System (GIS), to create a comprehensive database for conservation of the chinar trees.
The initiative aims to safeguard chinar trees from threats such as urbanisation, deforestation, and habitat degradation.
The project is being spearheaded by J-K Forest Research Institute (FRI) of J-K Forest Department.
The QR-based digital plate is affixed to each surveyed Chinar tree using a specialised spring-enabled metal. Each tree is given a unique id like Aadhaar specifying the year the tree is surveyed, the district it is located and a serial number for easy identification.
“Chinar is a part of our culture. We are doing a survey to know the total number of chinars, their status, their height, girth, etc. So, we have taken this initiative of tree geo-tagging,” Project Coordinator, FRI, Syed Tariq, said here.
He said so far, around 28,500 chinar trees have been identified, surveyed and their data updated, and the process is going on.
“We are preserving that data in the heritage registers of each district. Each district will have its own heritage register so that the credible data is readily available and new data can be added when new ones are planted,” he said.
The project head said a chinar atlas of Kashmir will be created once the exercise is completed.
“That will give us an idea how many chinar trees are there in each district, with their status. The project aims and preserving and conserving the iconic tree of Kashmir,” he added.
Tariq said chinar trees date back around 2,000 years in the valley and informed that a separate research is going on to determine the age of the chinar trees in Kashmir.
“While the oldest chinar tree in Kashmir can be known from that survey, in terms of girth, we have recorded the biggest chinar tree in Ganderbal district (in central Kashmir) whose girth is 74 feet. That is the world’s third largest chinar tree in terms of girth,” he said.
The official said the project has been named as “Digital Tree Aadhaar” with each tree having a tree number.
“There is complete information about the specific chinar tree in the QR code. When the code is scanned, it will give instant information about the tree.
“A person can get required information about the tree including its location with coordinates, physical characters, health status, height, girth, tree shape, number of main branches, whether the tree is a seed bearer or not, and whether the tree is diseased or not” he said.
The district specific codes in the unique code have been taken from the RTO codes. Each tree is photographed and those are uploaded so that they are readily available at the click of a mouse.
The official said the department lacked credible data about the number of chinar trees in the valley before this survey.
“We had a rough estimate of 40,000 or 45,000 trees, but there was no exact number. The idea of a unique code came because once we go for a census, there is always an apprehension of duplication. To avoid that, we came up with this unique ID,” Tariq said.
He said the chinar tree, a symbol of cultural heritage, faces threats like urbanisation, deforestation and habitat loss.
To ensure its survival, the J-K Forest Department and J-K FRI are leveraging digital tools, including geo-tagging and QR codes, for effective monitoring and conservation. These efforts aim to preserve chinars and their habitats, he said.
The campaign has revealed that the highest number of chinar trees in the valley are found in Srinagar, followed by Ganderbal, Anantnag and Baramulla districts.
The official said in the top 20 series of chinars in the World Monumental Trees, 11 are in from Kashmir.
“This is an international recognition,” he added.
He said as another step to conserve the famed tree, the department has planted 1,000 chinars in Dugpora area in Ganderbal over two hectares of land.
The project was started three years back and all the trees are growing well, they have reached the height of about five feet, he said.
“We call it a vegetative multiplication garden. It is more than a nursery, it is a research station,” he said.
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