Lucknow: As part of its commitment to preserve the state’s cultural heritage, the Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will beautify 948 heritage trees under the Heritage Tree Adoption Scheme, official sources said here on Wednesday.
Sources said that as many as 28 species of trees that are more than 100 years old have been designated as ‘heritage trees’.” These trees are spread over all the 75 districts of the state. There are a maximum of 99 heritage trees in Varanasi, 53 in Prayagraj, 37 in Hardoi, 35 in Ghazipur and 34 in Unnao,” they said.
The Yogi government is raising awareness among the general public by conserving the endangered tree species and trees connected to mythological or historical events, special people, monuments, religious traditions and beliefs. Guidelines have been given for the selection and documentation of heritage trees by the Environment, Forest and Climate Change department.
More than 100 years old trees, belonging to 28 species, and situated in non-forest areas (community land) have been designated as heritage trees by the UP State Biodiversity Board. These include Aru, Arjuna, Mango, Tamarind, Kaim, Karil, Kusum, Khirni, Shami, Gamhar, Gular, Chitwan, Chilbil, Jamun, Neem, Adansonia, Pakad, Peepal, Peelu, Banyan, Mahua, Mahogany, Mysore Banyan, Sheesham, Sal, Semal, Haldu and Tumal.
There are 363 trees of Banyan species and 422 trees of Peepal species. In the heritage tree category, trees related to the spiritual and freedom movement have also been included.
In Gorakhpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, 19 trees have been designated as heritage trees. On the other hand, mother trees of Dussehri and Langra mangoes in Lucknow and Varanasi, Bachan Imli in Fatehpur, Imli tree in Imlitala temple complex in Mathura, Karil tree in Pratapgarh, Adansonia tree located in Barabanki, Pakad tree located in Hapur and Sant Kabir Nagar, Bodhi tree of Sarnath, Peepal tree of Ambedkar Nagar, famous as Baba Jharkhand and Peepal tree associated with freedom movement at Ordinance Cloth Factory Shahjahanpur are included as heritage trees.
Among the special heritage trees the Adansonia tree of Jhunsi (Prayagraj) mentioned by the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang, the Peelu tree located in the Ter Kadamba temple complex and Nidhi Van of Mathura, Akshayavat in the Prayagraj fort, Banyan tree located at Valmiki Ashram in Unnao district, places popular as Luv Kush Birthplace and Janki Kund. Along with that, banyan tree located in NBRI Lucknow and Mahamaya Devi Temple Complex, Ghaziabad, associated with the first freedom struggle, are included.
Along with respecting the heritage, the state government will also seek the cooperation of common people for the protection of heritage trees and conservation and promotion of biodiversity in the region by developing a sense of affection, harmony and affinity among people towards trees by linking heritage trees with public sentiment and promoting eco-tourism in the area.
