Hatirjheel
Planned tree plantation can enhance beauty
The unplanned planting of Fishtail palm, while the site is suitable for Hijol,Jarul Barun and Kadam tree Photo: Sourav Mahmud
Not once upon a time, rather just a few decades ago, Dhaka was a beautiful green city. Due to infrastructure and building construction by felling trees, and unplanned plantation to at least partially replenish that, the green views of Dhaka city has already disappeared. Now Dhaka is a city of shops, a city without water bodies, green fields and with lots of bad things which demerit human health condition and also the environment. The greenery started declining day by day from both surroundings and inner parts of Dhaka city conspicuously from 1980s. Only the DU and BUET campus, Ramna Park and Suhurawardy Uddyan and Agargaon could survive the onslaught as yet. The plantation now we can see only on the island between two ways of some roads. The footpath is treeless in most parts. And the species diversity is not good or proper. The city was beatified by the British and other leaders of that period. But we failed to preserve that beauty and we ever did not think to do something like them. We have done so called plantation and also political tree plantation here and there. We did not think it deeply. As a result we can see although initiatives are taken to improve the situation, but not systematically and scientifically. It is good that the government is going to conserve the Hatirjheel-Bagunbari wetland. The construction work is still continuing. We have seen a few new roads have been laid out there. But in a survey it is seen that unplanned and invalid plantation is occurring there. During a recent field observation the tree plantation in the area was not seemed to be planwise. A good number of Fishtail palm, Royal palm, date palm, Debdaru tree, ornamental dwarf fig, coconut palm have already been planted. But the nature lovers hope for a six-season colourful views from every road of Haterjheel. They naturally want to see here wetland trees like Hijol, Barun, Kadam, Chalta, Jarul and Karoch along the new roads of the area. It is a matter of sorrow that a lot of date palms planted on the new roads are already dying. The sizes of the trees planted are 6-13 feet and that had been pulled from other places. But here should have been planted very young saplings or seeds. Same thing happened in case of Royal palm and Fishtail palm. In the primary stage sapling from seed is very good for growth as it spreads out its roots systematically and thus will live long. But a date palm about 13 feet high uprooted from one place to be planted elsewhere can't be able to adapt with the environment. And date palm is not a plant for this site; also Fishtail palm which needs shady area to grow. But unfortunately the planter doesn't seem to have thought about this and perhaps is not landscape and plant specialist. It is not possible to get back the Dhaka of 50s or 60s. But systematic and scientific plan can make Dhaka more green and shady than it is now. Planwise plantation can turn Dhaka into a six season flowering city. Hatirjheel is a new area without tree. We just cannot get another such open plantation spot in Dhaka. So it is urgently needed to make a checklist of planting flora and other appropriate trees and need to recruit a plant and landscape specialist to give a beautiful shape to the plantation of the area. As a botanist, I have some proposal for the plantation. The area is a wetland site. So wetland plants would suit it must. Hijol, Karoc, Jarul, Barun, Chalta should be planted here. Shade trees like Bakul, Telsur, Kanokchura, Padauk, Nageshore, Chatim, Bot, Asowath could be planted as well. Trees like Jarul, Sonalu, Krisnachura, Pakhiphul, Sornochampa, Jakaranda, Peltofourm, Gulachi can enhance summer view. There can be a few avenues of Jarul and Krisnachura to create a variety in colour. There can be one avenue or two of Sornochampa and Jakaranda of bluish violet colour. These trees are remarkable not only for their shape but also for their flowers. Peltophorum or Kurchi might have separate avenues. Gulachi these days are of various colours and grow naturally. They don't require any extra attention. To keep the spring alive there are Kanakchanpa, Rudro Palash, Lal Sonaiel, Muchkundo, Palash, Parijat, Shimul, Gamari, Lotkonful, Milletia, Gliricidia, Golapjamful etc. There can be separate avenues of individual spring flowers, or there can be mixed avenues as well to create a variety in colours. The plants like Kontoklata, Madhobi, Nilmoni, Hapormali etc would further add to the beauty of spring. The list of monsoon flowers is quite long. There can be a pretty long avenue of Kodom and Sultanchanpa and Canonball trees. Hijalas can be planted along the water edge. The other flowers of monsoon like Maloti, Jhumko, Dolonchanpa, Kanthalichampa, Hasnahena, Sonapati, Ulotcondal, Oporajita, Korobi could be planted in beds and it will make the beauty of monsoon accessible to all. For autumn a large road slope near water body could be chosen for Kash, and Sheuli close by on a relatively higher place. Lotus can be planted in the water bodies. The beauty of lotus in the autumn is unique. Bokful of different colours may also be chosen for some places. Kash will protect erosion and make soil harder. The flowers of late autumn partly contribute some feelings to the ambience if we plant Himjhuri or Akashneem, Debkanchan Chateem etc. There can be a pretty big avenue with Devkanchon alone. Side by side, some brightly coloured herbs and shrubs and plants like Dahliya, Aster, Cosmos, Jinia, Calendula, Chrysanthemum and Sunflower have to be chosen for winter. Already we have seen view bird species like pond heron, little heron, cattle egret, water cormorant and brahmini kite there. If the water quality improves and the aquatic vegetation gets enriched it might be possible to gather migratory and resident water birds there. For gathering singing birds trees like Hamalia, Bot, Aswath, Jamru could be planted. For beautifying the water corridor Sahapla, Shaluk Chadmala can be planted therein besides lotus. It is completely a new place for plantation. So we are getting a scope to beautify the landscape of this area more decoratively. So the government should take urgent initiatives to beautify the area with scientific and planwise plantation.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments