• Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar’s Bherunda Foundation shows the way
• 50,000 trees counted so far
• Mangaluru-based CFAL collaborates in green-friendly initiative

Mysore/Mysuru: The trees that form the lung space of Mysuru have their roots in princely rule that still stand testimony to the farsighted vision of Wadiyars, the erstwhile rulers of Mysuru.

Now, the Wadiyars have taken a lead in conserving the tree species belonging to different genera for posterity.

From Palace to plantation

A comprehensive tree census and green zone assessment project titled “Mysuru Tree Audit, project ‘Nam Mara’ 2025-26” was launched in November 2025, with Bherunda Foundation headed by its Chairperson Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, wife of titular head of erstwhile Royal Family of Mysore, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who is also Mysuru-Kodagu  MP, leading from the front.

Bherunda Foundation has collaborated with the Centre For Advanced Learning (CFAL), Mangaluru, which has completed the tree survey in the coastal city.

The target is to complete the survey of trees in all 65 Wards under Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits by March 31, 2026.

Agreement with District Administration

Bherunda Foundation also signed an agreement with the District Administration at Mysore Palace Board premises yesterday to undertake the tree audit across the city.

Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, Mysuru DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, MCC Commissioner, Shaikh Tanveer Asif, Project Coordinator, M.M. Nikhilesh and CFAL representative Shanta Gowda were present.

‘Preserving green heritage & legacy set by our ancestors’ Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, who described it as a wonderful experience to carry out the tree audit, said that it is mainly aimed at preserving the green heritage and the legacy set by our ancestors.

“To say heritage, it is not just about buildings, myriad arts and yoga, boulevards, parks etc. It is also about the trees, as Mysuru is fast expanding and maintaining a balance is equally important,” she noted.

3-phase audit

Explaining about how the audit is planned in three phases, Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar said, in Phase-1, the audit of trees in public spaces is being conducted with the help of about 70 volunteers and students.

So far, the survey of about 50,000 trees of the estimated total 1.5 lakh in 65 Wards of the city has been completed. Majority of the tree species found in Mysuru belong to three species — Copper Pod, Rain Tree and Gulmohar.

In Phase-2, the audit of trees at the premises of institutions, parks and other places will be carried out. The final and Phase-3 of the audit aims to identify spaces in consensus with the Government, to plant the indigenous tree species, which can absorb carbon.

Most importantly, to scientifically gather the details of the trees, the related apps are being used by uploading the pictures of leaf, with Dr. Smitha Hegde of CFAL providing the scientific inputs.

Yaduveer Wadiyar to join

Asked about the cooperation of her MP husband, Yaduveer Wadiyar, himself a nature lover, Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar said, “Together we have planned to conduct the audit of at least 500 trees in the days to come.”

Report by March

After completion of the survey, a comprehensive report along with biodiversity indices will be released in March 2026. This report will serve as a guiding document for shaping Mysuru’s environmental policies and urban planning for future generations.

The organisers have appealed to citizens, volunteers and institutions to actively participate in this initiative. With volunteer training, field surveys and public awareness programmes, all must join for a greener Mysuru.

“Mysuru Tree Audit, project is not just a survey; it is a pledge of responsibility towards our children’s future and towards nature,” the organisers stated.

How Tree Audit is conducted

Each tree is geo-tagged and documented with location- based mapping along with growth and biomass details.

Tree health assessments are carried out to identify threats such as diseases, concretisation and root damage, followed by appropriate conservation measures.

Details, including species, height, trunk diameter and canopy spread, are recorded for scientific documentation.

Biodiversity assessment: Tree diversity in Mysuru is documented using Shannon’s Index (a measure of biodiversity that captures both species richness and the evenness of their distribution in a community).

Carbon accounting: An estimate of carbon stock at the city level is calculated.