When felling of a tree triggers nationwide grief, and resolve

Who would have imagined that the felling of a lone Sycamore tree in a remote countryside of Northumbria region in England would not only result in a countrywide furore, but make international news too. Planted in the late 1800s, it stood at a dramatic dip in the landscape along the Roman-era Hadrian’s Wall, and was one of England’s most photographed trees. However, on the morning of September 28, 2023, it was cut down by two vandals. Last month, both were jailed.

The outpouring of emotions following the felling led to impromptu poems and photographs clicked from every angle, and in every season. “The outrage showed how important the connection is between people and nature in its many forms… We will harness that support for trees, landscapes and nature all across the country,” said the director of the National Trust of England.

In India, too, there is deep reverence for certain trees for their age and size, their religious or mythological associations, their symbolic or cultural value, or their aesthetic and popular appeal.

Banyan and Peepal that are often found on temple premises or historical locations are a common example of heritage trees. Some like the Chinar are iconic to Kashmir.

In May 2020, when a cyclone hit the Bay of Bengal, felling a large number of trees, people voiced grave concern over the survival of ‘The Great Banyan’ at the Indian Botanic Garden, Kolkata. In 2019, there were huge protests over the removal of the iconic Jamun trees along the Central Vista in New Delhi. “The issue had to be addressed before the redevelopment project got underway,” recalls Soham Kacker, a conservationist.

Trees are also viewed as powerful symbols of growth, death and rebirth. The image of the ‘Tree of Life’ occurs in many mythologies. Kalpavriksha, the wish-fulfilling divine tree, finds mention in the Vedic scriptures. Legend has it that in the earliest account of the Samudra Manthan, the mythical tree emerged from the primal waters during the ocean-churning process.

The Bodhi tree, or tree of enlightenment, is a large sacred fig tree located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. The Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under the tree.

But veneration of heritage trees alone does not essentially lead to their conservation. It is a common practice to make pucca cemented platforms around landmark old trees, that could suffocate the roots and block the essential flow of air and water — ironically, built to ‘protect’ the tree.

In 2021, the Government of Maharashtra introduced the ‘Heritage Tree’ initiative, which mandates the geo-tagging of trees older than 50 years for their protection under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act of 1975, says Sangram B Chavan in a study led by him.

Similarly, INTACH offers heritage tree programmes and an online database that provides a core resource and platform for future initiatives to conserve India’s natural tree heritage.

In modern times, memorial trees also become iconic. The ‘Survivor Tree’ at the 9/11 memorial site in New York is a Callery Pear tree that was discovered at Ground Zero after the attacks in 2001. The tree was rescued and nursed back to health and later replanted at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum as a symbol of resilience and hope.

Very often, cities create memorial parks, ‘smriti vans’, where a tree can be planted in the memory of a loved one — ensuring an evergreen continuity of life.

Chandigarh has a unique planned landscaping, with numerous varieties of trees. But even before commencement of the city’s construction, an official order declared that all trees would be retained at the original site and preserved. At present, the city has 31 heritage trees — the most iconic being the Peepal tree at Sukhna Lake. Along the 2.3-km curving pedestrian promenade, the lone Peepal with its leafy shade-giving canopy, shimmering in the reflective lake waters, is like a majestic sculpture adorning the walkway. The tree has become a symbol of the city’s roots to its pastoral past and its green identity.

Also, a huge ceremonial door to the Assembly building was painted by Le Corbusier himself with a mural, that, among other elements of nature, depicts an enigmatic ‘Tree of Life’ symbol. The message was that man and nature have a cosmic connect.

Mere adulation of flagship trees is not enough to launch conservation drives. A multi-pronged policy framework, including geo-tagging and ecosystem service evaluation, is needed for the larger cause of arboreal conservation. That indeed would be the true worship of trees as divine manifestations in the rapidly urbanising world.

— The writer is former principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture