Preserving Heritage: Kashmir’s iconic Chinar timber get geo-tagged with distinctive Aadhar-like codes

Kashmir: The Jammu and Kashmir authorities has launched an formidable programme for conservation of the majestic Chinar timber which going through threats resulting from fast urbanisation.

Beneath the “Digital Tree Aadhaar” initiative will see creation the Union Territory administrations intends to create complete database of the long-lasting timber by geo-tags utilizing QR codes to document every tree’s geographical location, well being, and rising patterns.

This initiative will even allow conservationists to trace modifications and tackle danger components confronted by chinars – a cultural and ecological image of the Kashmir Valley.

The marketing campaign, via J-Okay Forest Analysis Institute (FRI) of J-Okay Forest Division, includes use of contemporary know-how, together with Geographical Info System (GIS), to create a complete database for conservation of the chinar timber, information company PTI reported including that the initiative goals to safeguard chinar timber from threats reminiscent of urbanisation and deforestation.

About 150 years to develop to full measurement

Normally 30 metre excessive, a chinar timber are identified for longevity and spreading crown. It takes round 30 to 50 years for a tree to realize the mature top and round 150 years to develop to its full measurement.

The chinar tree inhabitants in Kashmir has declined over time. Some estimates stated Kashmir Valley had 42,000 chinars within the Seventies. The current quantity ranges from 17,000 to 34,000.

Other than altering weather conditions reminiscent of rising temperatures, irregular rainfall and extended droughts, the environmentalists attribute the autumn in chinar numbers of Kashmir over time to artifical components reminiscent of widening of nationwide highways, development in city areas and unlawful felling.

Within the FRI mission, the QR-based digital plate is affixed to every surveyed chinar tree utilizing a specialised spring-enabled metallic. Every tree is given a novel id like Aadhaar specifying the 12 months the tree is surveyed, the district it’s situated and a serial quantity for straightforward identification.

“Chinar is part of our tradition. We’re doing a survey to know the overall variety of chinars, their standing, their top, girth, and many others. So, we now have taken this initiative of tree geo-tagging,” Challenge Coordinator, FRI, Syed Tariq, advised information company PTI.

Tariq stated to date, round 28,500 chinar timber have been recognized, surveyed and their information up to date, and the method is happening. The long-term plan is to create a chinar atlas of Kashmir. “That may give us an concept what number of chinar timber are there in every district, with their standing,” he stated

Whereas chinar timber date again round 2,000 years within the Valley, a separate analysis is happening to find out the age of the chinar timber in Kashmir.

“Whereas the oldest chinar tree in Kashmir will be identified from that survey, by way of girth, we now have recorded the most important chinar tree in Ganderbal district (in central Kashmir) whose girth is 74 toes. That’s the world’s third largest chinar tree by way of girth,” he stated.

As soon as the mission is full, an individual can get required details about the tree together with its location with coordinates, bodily characters, well being standing, top, girth, tree form, variety of foremost branches, whether or not the tree is a seed bearer or not, and whether or not the tree is diseased or not, the officers stated.

To date, the mission has discovered that the very best variety of chinar timber within the valley are present in Srinagar, adopted by Ganderbal, Anantnag and Baramulla districts. Within the high 20 sequence of chinars within the World Monumental Bushes, 11 are in from Kashmir. “That is a world recognition,” he added.