Volunteers can join Sunday’s WWF’s Hyd annual tree survey
The Hyderabad unit of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) will conduct the second ‘Hyderabad annual tree survey’ from 8 am to 11 am on March 9.
Hyderabad:The Hyderabad unit of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) will conduct the second ‘Hyderabad annual tree survey’ from 8 am to 11 am on March 9. The first survey was held on February 10, 2024.
Integral to WWF-India’s citizen science programme that encourages public participation, the ensuing biodiversity survey will document the city’s tree species and their role in supporting birds, insects, and other wildlife.
It will cover six zones and the volunteers will record tree species, diameter, flowering and fruiting status, and associated wildlife across streets and parks. The data will be collected through iNaturalist for accurate identification.
The focus is on how native and non-native trees support biodiversity. Findings from the 2024 survey showed that native trees support more wildlife than non-native ones. Parks with native trees had more birds and insects than roadside plantations.
Farida Tampal, state director of WWF-India, Hyderabad, said engaging with the local environment builds awareness and appreciation of biodiversity. The collected data will help policymakers design better urban green spaces.
Meanwhile, the survey confirmed that pollution reduces bird and insect populations. It will identify areas lacking green cover, aiding urban planning and updating the city’s biodiversity index, which is revised every four years.
WWF-India hopes to conduct such surveys several times in a year subject to availability of funds.
The event is free. Registrations are open until March 7. Volunteers will receive online training before the survey.
