Mysuru tree census finds 1.2 lakh trees mapped across 65 wards

Mysuru: Heritage City has an estimated 1,21,789 trees across its 65 wards, according to the preliminary findings of the Nammara Project, a citywide tree census undertaken to create a comprehensive database of the city’s urban tree cover.The preliminary report was handed over to Mysuru deputy commissioner G Lakshmikantha Reddy by Bherunda Foundation trustee and chairperson Trishika Kumari Wadiyar on Saturday.The Nammara Project is an effort to count, map and document every tree in all 65 wards of Mysuru. The data collected is expected to serve as the foundation for sustainable urban planning by guiding future tree-planting initiatives and helping protect the city’s green infrastructure.Speaking on the occasion, Trishika said the field survey was completed on April 14 this year after nearly six months of work. More than 520 citizen volunteers and 21 partner organisations participated in it.She said the volunteers, including students, engineers, teachers, doctors, homemakers and retired professionals, surveyed the city lane by lane and tree by tree. Every tree was geotagged using GPS coordinates, while volunteers measured its girth, assessed its health, identified its species and recorded the type of land on which it stood.

All volunteers underwent training under ward coordinators before beginning the field survey.The final report is expected to be released in Aug 2026. It will include a verified tree species count, top-20 species distribution maps, ward-wise tree density rankings, canopy cover estimates, carbon sequestration estimates, a list of heritage trees recommended for legal protection, native and exotic species analysis, health status of trees across all wards, identification of priority areas for fresh planting and ecological restoration, and details of a public data portal that will provide open access to citizens, researchers and urban planners.Trishika said the project will enter its second phase with the mapping of parks and public gardens across the city, followed by a third phase covering schools, colleges, temples and hospital campuses.The project originated in Oct 2025 when Mysuru Grahakara Parishat invited CFAL to undertake a comprehensive tree census in urban Mysuru and signed an MoU with the MCC. In Jan 2026, the Bherunda Foundation joined the initiative, which subsequently evolved into a citywide civic movement involving the district administration, Mysuru City Corporation, academic institutions, businesses, civil society organisations and hundreds of volunteers.