On Sunday, tree lovers from across the city joined on a nature walk to admire some of the rare exotic trees around the heritage buildings of South Mumbai. The ‘Know Your Trees’ walk witnessed some rare trees which are not usually seen in Mumbai.
The General Practitioners Association of Greater Bombay and National Society of The Friends of Trees (FoT) organised a nature walk on Sunday morning to see and learn about rare trees present in South Mumbai. The main aim of the walk was to inform people about various species of rare trees around them which usually go unnoticed.
Moha Madhuka Indica |
Details of the walk
Over 100 people joined the tree walk which started from the Horniman Circle and explored the trees at University of Mumbai’s Fort campus, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and ended at the Bombay Nature History Society. Experts from the FoT including Dr. CS Lattoo, Dr. Sweedle Shivkar and Dr. Manek Mistry educated the participants about the importance of the trees.
Baobab Tree |
The participants started their tree walk by witnessing a 150-year-old banyan tree at the Horniman Circle. The tree lovers also witnessed some rare trees including urvashi, lignum vitae, star apple, chinese fan palm, caesalpinia, cannonball, flowering ashoka and baobab. Most of these rare trees were found in the gardens of University of Mumbai and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Some rare trees were also spotted at the St. Thomas Cathedral and near the Kala Ghoda circle as well as Flora Fountain.
Dr. Ashok Kothari, former president of FoT said, “The main aim of these tree walks is to educate people about the heritage buildings as well as about such rare trees surrounding them. Children, youngsters and even two wheelchair-bound people also joined the event to learn about the trees.
Cannonball Tree |
FoT's tree walks across Mumbai
FoT has organised tree walks in different parts of Mumbai including veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, BPT Gardens, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Thane and Bandra. The organisation has been working on awareness and protection of trees and has been organising annual vegetables, fruits and flower shows since 61 years.
Sakina Gadiwala, general secretary of FoT said, “Know Your Trees is an educational walk where people learn about trees around them and also become conscious about protecting them. Some of the trees in the walk were as old as 400 years, which itself was an interesting aspect for the participants."
Traveller's Tree |
Names of the trees and where they were found:
Urvashi (Amherstia Nobilis)- University Garden
Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum sanctum)- St. Thomas Cathedral
Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)- Kala Ghoda circle and Flora Fountain
Chinese Fan Palm Livistona chinensis)- University Garden
Sankasur (Caesalpinia)- University Garden
Cannonball Tree (Couroupita guianensis)- University garden
Flowering Ashoka (Saraca Asoka)- University and Muesum Garden
Baobab (Adansonia)- Museum Garden
