Mysuru records over 1.21 lakh trees in citizen-led census

In what is being described as one of Karnataka’s largest citizen-led urban tree censuses, the ‘Nammara Tree Census’ has documented 1,21,789 trees across all 65 wards of Mysuru. The organisers claim that the exercise is the city’s first comprehensive database of its tree wealth.

The preliminary findings, released in this month, mark the completion of a six-month survey that covered every ward under the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits. A detailed scientific report containing species-wise analysis, ward-wise green cover estimates, carbon sequestration data and a list of heritage trees is expected to be released in August this year.

The initiative, led by the Bherunda Foundation which is headed by Ms. Trishika Kumari Wadiyar, is being described as the first scientific attempt to count, geo-tag and permanently document every tree within the city’s municipal limits. The exercise draws inspiration from Mysuru’s long-standing green legacy established during the reigns of erstwhile rulers Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Jayachamaraja Wadiyar.

The project evolved into a city-wide movement after Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) and the Mysuru City Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Centre for Advanced Learning (CFAL), Mangaluru, in October 2025 to undertake the census. The Bherunda Foundation joined the initiative in January 2026, bringing together government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, civil society organisations and volunteers.

More than 520 citizen volunteers, including students, engineers, teachers, doctors, homemakers and retired professionals, participated in the exercise. Survey teams traversed streets and neighbourhoods across the city, recording GPS coordinates, species details, trunk girth, health status and growing conditions of individual trees using a digital platform developed by CFAL.

The census was carried out with the support of 21 partner organisations drawn from the corporate, academic and social sectors.

According to a press release, the preliminary report stated that every documented tree has been geo-tagged and assessed for its species, health and physical dimensions. The final scientific report is expected to provide ward-wise rankings of tree density, estimates of the city’s carbon storage and annual carbon absorption capacity, analyses of native and exotic species, and recommendations for conservation and ecological restoration.

The report will also identify heritage trees that are more than 100 years old and recommend them for legal protection.

A public data portal is being planned to enable residents and others access the tree database, search for trees by ward or species and report concerns relating to tree health. The database will eventually be handed over to the Mysuru City Corporation as a living record of the city’s green infrastructure.

With the roadside tree survey now complete, the project will move into its next phase, which includes mapping trees in public parks and gardens, followed by surveys of trees within schools, colleges, hospitals and temple premises.