Native trees' plantation to rid Ridge of colonial kikar

Delhi's forest and wildlife department will restore a 100-hectare plot of the Central Ridge, and a tender has been allotted to carry out the plantation of native Aravalli tree species, officials aware of the development said on Friday.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

With this project, the department aims to diversify the species in the Ridge by adding more native species to an area largely monopolised by the invasive vilayati kikar (Prosopis juliflora), which is said to comprise 70% of all trees in the Central Ridge.

The move comes after the department in April 2022 carried out a pilot project on a 15-hectare plot of the 864-hectare Central Ridge.

As part of the pilot project, officials said, the department planted native species in a small patch of land around vilayati kikar trees, and officials said that the survival rate of these native saplings is 80-90%.