Plant your own tree and help Kandy go green
Shady sidewalks: D. S. Senanayake Mawatha
Kandy is going green! Municipal Commissioner Ishan Wijetilake’s aim is to make the hill capital a Green Heritage City where people will have “a shade for the head, fresh air for the lungs and a cool environment to enjoy the beauty of the city.”
A few years ago, the former Municipal Commissioner at a meeting with the Kandy Municipal Council (KMC) officials discussed the worsening air pollution in the city and following this, in 2018, a tree planting project was begun. But with the pandemic this was stalled as they had more pressing issues at hand.
A novel concept involving the general public funding the project was put forward by the present Commissioner and the tree planting project now continues under the slogan ‘Magen Gasak Mahanuwarata’ (A tree from me for Kandy).
Kandy is home to a resident population of 150,000 that is swelled by the estimated 600,000 people who visit the city daily. On Full Moon Poya days and other holidays,
the number increases as people visit the
Sri Dalada Maligawa and other places of interest. In July/August during the perahera season, an estimated additional 200,000 – 500,000 people come into the city daily. Addressing the problems faced by the rapidly growing urban space is a challenge that the KMC is tackling in innovative ways.
Intensive research was done on the type of trees that could be grown, and where the trees should be planted etc. Due consideration for the Dalada Perahera was also a factor. The trees had to be of a certain height, out of reach of the elephants in the procession that have a tendency to stop and break branches for fodder, to ensure that the perahera would not come to a standstill.
The KMC decided on 10 feet high root-balled trees as the roots would not spread and damage the city’s sturdy but old drainage system that dates back to the colonial era.
“There are about 900 trees planted at present. These include trees planted in playground areas, parks and roundabouts,” said Officer in charge of the Catchment Area and Parks at the KMC, Hemantha Ekanayake who is responsible for selecting the plants and the locations where they should be planted. The trees chosen are Karanda (Pongamia pinnata), Mee (Madhuca longifolia), Kohomba (Margosa – Azadirachta indica), Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna), which are of medicinal value. There are also flowering trees such as Esala (Cassia fistula), Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Flamboyant or flame tree (Delonix regia), Kahamara (Peltophorum pterocarpum), and a few others. It has been found that diverse plant species provide better removal of pollutants through their leaves.
Kandy in bloom: Efforts to line the city's streets with flowering trees. Pix courtesy KMC
The KMC started the partnership with the general public in 2021. Lankan expatriates, mainly in West Asian countries have shown interest and first to join the programme was a family with three young children who planted a tree in Yatinuwara Veediya on June 6, this year.
Each tree planted can be viewed through the Geographical Processing System (GPS) on people’s home screens from anywhere in the world at any time. Participants are issued with a certificate of appreciation with all the details and the GPS number, which helps them to monitor their tree.
When the tree planting programme was extended to schools, Mahamaya Girls’ College Kandy, was the first to join. With their teacher’s encouragement, 43 students from Grade 5E earned their own money by doing chores at home and by selling old newspapers, bottles, broken plastic etc. and produce from their home gardens. Having earned enough, they purchased and planted a Karanda tree on Kotugodella Vediya on April 5, the day they were to enter Grade 6.
Mr. Wijetilake invites people to plant a tree on memorable occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries or any other important day in their lives, making it a meaningful celebration. “You will gain immense pleasure standing under the shade of this tree seeing it grow with its fresh new tender leaves to a magnificent giant,” he said.
The cost of planting a tree is $100. The maintenance will be done by the KMC. For expatriates and tourists, planting a tree will encourage them to visit Sri Lanka more often to see their plant grow and in the process, help the country to earn the much needed foreign exchange.
The Municipal Commissioner hopes to expand this project with Kandy as an International Friendship Tree Planting City.
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