THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Friends of Trees (FoT), a professional NGO, has come out with its 21st tree Register on the eve of World Environment Day. This time the register will have a comprehensive list of trees found on the campus of NSS College of Women at Neeramankara.
The booklet will be released on June 5, World Environment Day. FoT’s survey has found 200 trees belonging to 65 species, which includes shade and fruit bearing trees like mango tree (mangifera indica–three), jackfruit tree (artocaropus heterophyllus – six), coconut trees (cocos nucifera – 27), and Indian cherry tree or njaval (syzygium cumini – three).
There were 34 flowering trees belonging to four species: guolmohar, Indian laburnum (kanikonna), chembakam (plumeria acutifolia) and poomaruthu (lagerstroemia reginae). There were also four costly timber-yielding trees belong to three species: sandal (santalum album – one), teak tectona grandis – two), and wild jack or anjili (artocarpus hirsutus – one).
“Biodiversity-wise, the composition of the species is extremely satisfactory,” said former chief conservator of forests C.K. Karunakaran, the general secretary of FoT. “The protected enclosure of “maruthwa garden,” about half hectare in extent, deserves secial mention. Here, natural regeneration of several species is rampant,” he said.
Mr Karunakaran said that invasive species like copper pod (chara konna) and mahagony should not be allowed to spread. The register will contain the botanical name, vernacular name and common name of all the 65 species identified.
Earlier, FoT had come out with registers of trees in major campuses in the city like Women’s College, Arts College, University College, All Saints College, College of Engineering, Central Polytechnic College, Ayurveda College, Sanskrit, Music College, Fine Arts College, Balabhavan, Cotton Hill Higher Secondary School, Golf Club, Accountant general’s Office, Latin Bishop’s House, Tagore Centenary Theatre Campus, Keltron campus, Trivandrum Club, Trivandrum Tennis Club, and Military Station in Pangode.
