Mysuru: The city’s first tree census, NAMMARA, has found that green cover across 65 wards under Mysuru City Corporation limits stands at 13.3%, with 20 wards having fewer than 500 trees each and several streets lacking shade trees.Tree Audit Report 2025-26 documented 1,17,131 plants, including 1,16,764 trees, and more than 900 species. The citywide Shannon’s Diversity Index was 3.7, indicating high species diversity.Vidyaranyapuram, ward 61, had the highest green cover at 28.9%, while Ajeej Seth Nagar, ward 33, recorded the lowest at 0.09%. KN Pura, ward 31, had 0.8% and Gandhi Nagar, ward 28, 1%.Dattagalli, ward 46, had the most trees at 8,024, while Meenabazar, ward 26, had 105. Vijayanagar recorded the highest species richness, with around 300 species among 7,420 trees, while Ajeej Seth Nagar had the lowest with 17.The trees’ total biomass was estimated at 39,559 metric tonnes and carbon content at 19,779.4 metric tonnes. Estimated carbon sequestration stood at 72,586 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Gangothri, ward 21, recorded the highest sequestration at 4,739 metric tonnes, while Ajeej Seth Nagar had the lowest at 49 metric tonnes.Pongamia pinnata, commonly known as Honge, was dominant in 56 wards, accounting for 13.8% to 46.2% of the trees. Nine wards were dominated by other species, including Samanea saman, coconut, drumstick and Peltophorum pterocarpum.BHERUNDA Foundation, led by Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, conducted the census with Centre for Advanced Learning as knowledge partner and support from district authorities, civic groups, institutions, research organisations and hundreds of volunteers.Editors Prof Smitha Hegde and Vijay Moras said the citizen-participatory exercise was completed within its one-year deadline. “People in Mysuru love and protect trees. This was evident during our survey,” they said.
