Not in museums, but rooted in soil: UP declares 948 trees as living heritage

Uttar Pradesh has quietly carved out a first in conservation — it has begun protecting heritage that is not locked behind glass or stone but is still alive and breathing.With 948 trees notified as ‘heritage trees’, UP has become the country’s first state to institutionalise conservation and propagation of what officials call “living heritage”.

These are trees that have stood for centuries — witnessing empires, faiths, revolutions and everyday life — and are still rooted firmly in the soil.A first-of-its-kind FframeworkWhat sets UP apart is not just the number, but the process. In 2019, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath floated the idea while inaugurating the state’s annual plantation drive. A detailed govt order followed in Nov that year, laying down a clear framework to identify, verify and notify heritage trees across forest and non-forest land.The actual groundwork began in 2020. On July 8, 2021, the state notified its first list — 948 trees — making it clear this was not a one-time exercise. More trees may be added as and when they meet the criteria.Under the system, the UP State Biodiversity Board (UPSBB) has the authority to declare heritage trees on non-forest land, while trees on forest land fall under the forest department’s jurisdiction. Interestingly, of the 948 trees declared so far, only one — an Adansonia tree in Barabanki — stands on forest land.

The rest survive on community and public land, a fact officials say highlights decades, even centuries, of local stewardship.So, how were these trees identified? Inputs came from multiple sources. Biodiversity management committees in districts sent nominations, which were vetted by divisional forest officers. Simultaneously, the UPSBB roped in Lucknow University’s Institute of Wildlife Sciences (IWS) for a comprehensive field survey.From Sept to Dec 2020 — during the height of coronavirus pandemic — IWS teams fanned out across all 75 districts. “We searched for heritage trees on non-forest land with help from local people, district administrations and forest officials. Some trees left us mesmerised,” said IWS coordinator Prof Amita Kannaujia.“One such tree was Haribans Baba, an ancient banyan in Malihabad’s Majhipura block. Spread over nearly three hectares of ‘gram samaj’ land, the tree is believed to be hundreds of years old.

Locals say an ascetic named Haribans Baba took ‘samadhi’ at the spot. Over time, the banyan sent down aerial roots that matured into seven or eight separate trunks — making what appears to be a grove but is in fact a single organism,” she says.Stories Written Before the StampAfter the surveys, each shortlisted tree was documented — not just botanically, but culturally. Teams recorded folklore, historical references, custodianship by locals, and even latitude-longitude coordinates.“These weren’t just entries in a register. Each tree became a story. Not every tree made the final cut,” says retired IFS officer AK Pant, consultant to the board and a member of the expert committee.The 100-year rule, with one exceptionThe primary criterion was age – at least 100 years, or survival across four human generations. “Only one tree was granted an exception — the Peepal at Sarnath. Though its age could not be conclusively established, its lineage could,” Pant says.“Grown from a cutting of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka — itself descended from the Bodh Gaya tree under which Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment — the Sarnath Peepal was included for its unmatched spiritual provenance,” he adds.Trees that remember historySome of the most striking inclusions are trees deeply etched into India’s historical memory.The tree’s first-hand account, as printed in the govt’s coffee table book on heritage trees, also mentions its origin.Near Prayagraj’s Sangam stands the revered Parijaat (Adansonia) tree at Ulta Kila, mentioned by Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang in the 7th century. Scientists cannot determine its exact age, but estimates place it around 1,300 years. It is worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims and is often described as a “living fossil”. “Scientists are not able to tell my age, but I may well be about 1300 years old. All through scarring with age, I have attained a girth of 21 metres and still have some of my imposing wide spreading branches.

I am revered by both Hindus and Muslims,” says the tree’s first-hand account mentioned in the book.“Heritage trees are a living example of how local people have conserved them for years. In most of the trees that we profiled, we highlighted the role of locals. Because it cannot be for a tree on the roadside to have existed in good health for so long all by itself,” says Pant.In Fatehpur, the Bawan Imli tamarind tree carries a darker legacy.

In April 1858, 52 freedom fighters were hanged from its branches after the failure of the 1857 Uprising. The tree’s account in the official record reads like a haunting first-person testimony.“Even after so many years. I tremble when I recall the happening of the fateful day, April 28, 1858, when 52 brave revolutionaries were hanged till death from my branches. These brave souls included their leader Thakur Jodha Singh Atalya, an immortal son of the nation,” the tree’s description in the book says.Myth, faith and memoryFaith weaves through many of these trees.At Nidhi Van in Vrindavan, four Pilu trees are believed to represent the Gopis from Lord Krishna’s ‘Raas Lila’. Devotees apply ‘sindoor’ to their trunks in reverence.The description also talks about the species of the trees. The species is found in Balochistan, Sri Lanka, West Asia, Egypt and arid regions of India. The Akshay Vat banyan inside Prayagraj’s Akbar Fort is tied to mythology, scripture and history — mentioned by Tulsidas and associated with Vishnu, Rama and countless Kumbh Melas. There are Ramayana-linked trees too — like the Karil tree in Pratapgarh, believed to mark a resting spot of Ram, Sita and Lakshman during exile. The famous Mother Tree of Dussehri mango in Lucknow’s Kakori also finds mention as much as the Mother Tree of Langda mango in Varanasi.More than just Peepal and BanyanOf the 948 trees, Peepal dominates with 422 entries, followed by Banyan (355) and Pakar (57). In all, 28 species have been recorded — including Kusum, Neem, Mahua, Arjun, Sal, Jamun, Shami, Mango and even rare or near-lost species.

Varanasi tops the list with 99 heritage trees, followed by Prayagraj with 53.Conservation, propagation, awarenessThe govt has published a complete list of all 948 trees, with detailed narratives for about 100 of them in the coffee table book.It has also set up heritage tree gardens in 11 districts, including Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi and Chitrakoot. Each garden must plant a sapling or branch propagated from an original heritage tree, alongside native species.Plans are also underway to develop several heritage tree sites as eco-tourism destinations.Communities turn custodiansNotably, trees on private land were excluded. Officials say the emphasis is on community and public spaces. In a time when heritage is often reduced to ruins, UP’s heritage trees remind us that history doesn’t always crumble — sometimes, it keeps growing.