Plant a native tree, and help it grow

Planting a tree is one of the most hopeful things anyone can do. But a sapling that is planted and then forgotten often doesn’t survive its first hot summer. Two things make the difference: choosing the right tree, and caring for it until it can stand on its own.

Why native trees

Native trees have grown in a region for a very long time, so they suit its soil and weather, and local birds, insects and animals depend on them. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has said that native species need to be planted to provide food for birds and animals, and has asked forest officers to identify native species area by area.

In Delhi, for example, the Ministry has listed neem, peepal, bargad (banyan), jamun, arjun and imli among hardy native species being planted there, and amaltas among native flowering trees. What is native to Delhi may not be native to Kerala or Assam, so ask your forest department or a trusted local nursery which trees belong in your area.

Before you plant

• Plant when the monsoon arrives, so rain helps the roots settle.
• Pick a spot with room for a big tree, away from walls, wires and drains.
• If the land isn’t yours, ask first: your housing society, school or local body.
• Get a healthy sapling from the forest department or a nursery you trust.

The first year matters most

• Water it regularly through the first dry season, and more often in peak summer.
• Put a tree guard around it, to protect it from cattle, goats and careless feet.
• Spread dry leaves around the base to keep the soil moist.
• Clear away weeds and plastic, and check on it every week.

Better still, plant together. A tree adopted by a family, a class or a group of neighbours has many people looking out for it.