In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is set to launch the city’s Digital Tree Mapping Project, aimed at giving every tree in the city a unique digital identity card. The project, inspired by a similar model in New York City, will allow citizens to know — at the click of a button — how many trees are on a street, their species, height, age and even their health condition.
Preparations are underway to invite tenders for a comprehensive tree survey across Kolkata. Field teams will collect detailed data on the number, species, location and health of trees in parks and along roads. The information will then be uploaded to a dedicated KMC website and mobile app, giving citizens digital access to the city’s green data.
“Apart from basic details, users will also be able to see which trees are sick or require pruning,” a municipality official said.
According to municipal sources, officials drew inspiration from New York City’s digital tree mapping app, which allows residents to view every tree within city limits. “We came across an app from New York City where tree mapping is done digitally. We want to do something similar for Kolkata too,” said a KMC official.
Currently, KMC has no official record of how many trees exist within the city. The Parks Department estimates there are around 3.5 lakh trees, but admits that the figure is not precise. The upcoming digital survey will establish an accurate count, with the help of on-ground teams and possibly drones for hard-to-reach areas.
Mayoral Council member of the Parks Department, Debashis Kumar, confirmed the project’s launch. “A comprehensive survey of the city’s greenery has begun. Citizens will soon be able to know all information related to the city’s trees digitally,” he said.
The initiative also follows the massive loss of trees during Cyclone Amphan in 2020, after which the municipality planted over one lakh new trees. However, regular storms and heavy rains continue to uproot trees every year, prompting the KMC to conduct a tree health survey earlier this year. Nearly a hundred trees were identified as ‘sick’, requiring pruning or removal.
Officials say the digital tree database will make monitoring and conservation more efficient.
“The goal is the protection and conservation of the city’s trees. Using technology, we want every tree’s record to be available at the fingertips of citizens,” said a municipal official.
Once operational, Kolkata’s Digital Tree Mapping Project will not only make the city’s green heritage more transparent but also strengthen efforts to preserve and protect its natural ecosystem.
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