{"id":85638,"date":"2025-01-21T22:19:51","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T16:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/?p=85638"},"modified":"2025-01-21T22:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T16:49:51","slug":"j-28000-trees-documented-in-four-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/21\/j-28000-trees-documented-in-four-years\/","title":{"rendered":"J&K\u2019s Chinars now digitally tracked; 28,000 trees documented in four years"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018Innovative project uses geotagging, QR codes to preserve iconic trees; efforts led to notable discoveries, including Asia\u2019s largest Chinar in Ganderbal\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Srinagar, Jan 21 (KNO): As part of a move towards the conservation of its iconic Chinar trees, Jammu and Kashmir has embarked on a unique initiative that combines modern technology with traditional conservation efforts.<\/p>\n

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The Jammu & Kashmir Forest Research Institute (JKFRI) and the Jammu & Kashmir Forest Department have successfully geotagged over 28,000 Chinar trees across the Union Territory for the past four years, creating a database that ensures the preservation of these cultural and ecological treasures.<\/p>\n

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According to details obtained by the news agency\u2014Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the initiative, which began in 2021 and is expected to continue until 2025, involves the use of GIS and QR codes to monitor and conserve the Chinars.<\/p>\n

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Each tree is geotagged with vital information such as height, girth, health, canopy size and its geographical location. This data is being compiled using the Chinar Tree Record Form (CTRF-25), designed to standardize the documentation process.<\/p>\n

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Speaking to KNO, Dr Syed Tariq, Project Coordinator at JKFRI, said the efforts by the institute and the forest department have led to several significant discoveries. \u201cA Chinar in Ganderbal has been identified as the largest in Asia, measuring 22.25 meters in girth and standing at a height of 27 meters. Another Chinar in Baramulla has earned a place as the third-largest in the world,\u201d he said, adding the transplantation of two large Chinars has been completed by Forest department.<\/p>\n

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Dr Tariq said Chinars are an integral part of Kashmir\u2019s cultural and historical landscape, with many trees dating back to the Mughal era. \u201cEmperor Akbar is believed to have planted over 1,200 Chinars at Naseem Bagh, many of which still stand today,\u201d he said. Notably, the town of Bijbehara, known as the \u201cTown of Chinars\u201d, is home to one of the oldest Chinars in Padshahi Bagh, Bijbehara.<\/p>\n

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In addition to geotagging, the conservation efforts also include the distribution of saplings to schools, government institutions and security forces.<\/p>\n

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\u201cA Vegetative Multiplication Garden (VMG) has been established for the sustained production of high-quality saplings, and the transplantation of mature Chinars, including the iconic Char Chinar at Dal Lake, is underway,\u201d an official of the forest department said, adding that the integration of QR codes on geotagged Chinars has made it easier for the public to access real-time data on the health and status of these trees.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe QR codes, which are attached to specialised plates designed to allow the tree to grow without obstruction, can be scanned by citizens to learn more about each tree\u2019s condition,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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Moreover, Dr Tariq highlighted public awareness as an essential aspect of the project. He said the forest department has been actively engaging in educational programmes, releasing documentaries, and celebrating initiatives such as \u201cChinar Day\u201d (March 15) and the \u201cChinar Fall Festival\u201d (October 15) to encourage community participation in the conservation efforts\u2014(KNO)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

‘Innovative project uses geotagging, QR codes to preserve iconic trees; efforts led to notable discoveries, including Asia’s largest Chinar in Ganderbal’   Srinagar, Jan 21 (KNO): As part of a move towards the conservation of its iconic Chinar trees, Jammu and Kashmir has embarked on a unique initiative that combines modern technology with traditional conservation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":85639,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kashmir"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85638"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85640,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85638\/revisions\/85640"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}