Trees for avenues and near buildings

trees next to buildings

There are many things to consider when planting trees next to buildings and along roads or avenues. This is a non-exhaustive list of tree species that I recommend for our region (Auroville, India) in the typical laterite or black cotton soil. This is an evolving list.

General species selection criteria:

  • Not prone to structural failure
  • Drought resistant
  • No dangerous fruit (falling risk-wise and also poisonous plants taken into account)
  • Ideally with interesting features (bark, leaves, flowers, shape, fruit etc…)
  • No buttress or superficial roots (surface roots that would disturb pavement, hinder traffic)
  • Little mess in terms of fruits, flowers, foliage (apart from fruit trees)
  • Important for local ecology

Large evergreen trees to be used as shade for houses or avenues

Medium evergreen trees to shade houses and smaller roads

Evergreen fruit trees and shrubs

  • Mango tree, Mangifera indica
  • Jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophylla
  • Jamun, Syzygium cumini
  • Pitanga Berry, Eugenia uniflora

More ornamental trees (deciduous)

Shrubs (evergreen)

Please add comments to this list directly or in the more exhaustive spreadsheet. I am especially looking for more recommendations as the more diversity, the better.

Link to spreadsheet

In essence, it is better to plant for the long term to avoid conflicts between trees and buildings.

Thank you,

Island

Neem Dieback, Neem Treatment and other perspectives

neem dieback


Neem dieback:

Yes, neem trees lose their leaves every year, sometimes multiple times but, if a tree ends up with dead leaves up in the canopy then there is a problem due to an external factor. Yes, neem dieback has been around for some time and some trees recover from it. All neem trees that I have inspected have been affected by this to some extent. Older trees, very young trees and trees in poor condition or environments will likely be the most affected.

In the image below is the tea mosquito (Helopeltis antonii) which is one way that the fungus (Phomopsis azadirachtae) is transimitted which then causes the specific neem dieback disease (scientific evidence below).

Why do I think this is an issue now?

Because we have had successive drought years and a very wet year both of which can be detrimental for neems. Some of the trees have been defoliated twice in two years and some even more. Repeated defoliation of trees can lead to tree death.

Generally, all trees can be vulnerable to drought, especially to prolonged drought. It depends on their condition and the extent of the drought. With regards to excessive rain, if the roots are submerged for an extended period, they will not get oxygen, so they won’t be able to sustain their system (they can’t burn sugars). This FAO document mentions drought and neems. It is how I eventually came to the conclusion that the neems will not be able to deal with this very well (but it is likely to be consisting of even more factors).

The succession of detrimental events is the usual course for the death of a tree. Unlike us, they are not programmed to die. So, if a tree is affected by a disease, it is then more susceptible to other diseases.


And finally, yes, there are dead neems around.

Media (pics and videos):

Pictures of affected trees: https://photos.app.goo.gl/q7R5zAGFuLaGWuA79

Neem Dieback Treatment:

What we are doing is making neem trees more resistant to this disease and improving growing conditions in general for them and all surrounding vegetation.

Method and instructions of what we are doing (anyone can do it): Neem Treatment.

This is slightly old as the method has changed but may be useful: Video of Dr. Margarita Correa​ (MG Ecoduties) explaining treatment: https://youtu.be/aKFwzTVfmuo

From what I understand (or think I understand) the C4 compost acts a positive environment for germination for the bacillus which then will merge with/inoculate the absorbing roots (which will also be prompted to grow due to the new richer environment, hence the combination). Then the Bacillus will induce systemic acquired resistance (which should help with the Phomopsis) along with potentially helping with uptake of water and nutrients through synergies with mycorrhizal fungi.

Other Potential Neem Dieback Treatments:

Antifungal activity of essential oils against Phomopsis azadirachtae- the causative agent of die-back disease of neem: http://www.ijat-aatsea.com/pdf/Jan_v6_n1_10/14-57-IJAT2009_37F.pdf

In Vitro Evaluation Of Antagonistic Microorganisms For The Control Of Die-Back Of Neem Causal Agent Phomopsis Azadirachtae: https://journals.pan.pl/Content/106234/PDF/JPPR_49(4)_04_Girish.pdf

Integrated management of Phomopsis azadirachtae, the causal organism of die-back of neem: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Girish-K/publication/264657481_Integrated_management_of_Phomopsis_azadirachtae_the_causal_organism_of_die-back_of_neem/links/55f306d308ae7a10cf87a7f4/Integrated-management-of-Phomopsis-azadirachtae-the-causal-organism-of-die-back-of-neem.pdf

Efficacy of combinations of hexaconazole and bacterial extracts against Phomopsis azadirachtae, the die back of neem pathogen: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Girish-K/publication/264657118_Efficacy_of_combinations_of_hexaconazole_and_bacterial_extracts_against_Phomopsis_azadirachtae_the_die-back_of_neem_pathogen/links/5f1404cca6fdcc3ed7154396/Efficacy-of-combinations-of-hexaconazole-and-bacterial-extracts-against-Phomopsis-azadirachtae-the-die-back-of-neem-pathogen.pdf

Auroville context:

To give an idea of what could be affected, when surveying about half of Auroville excluding the “Greenbelt” (~2.5 square kilometres) Geomatics have recorded over 3000 neem trees. So there are potentially over 20,000 neem trees in Auroville.

Here is what has been achieved in Auroville, regarding treatment, so far (I am only involved in some of this):

LocationNumber of Trees
Matrimandir ?
Language Lab23
Joy of Impermanence15
Sincerity30
Revelation40
Botanical Gardens20+ (with ecological horticultural course students)
Ami8
Minati9
Kalpana24
Sanjana9
Certitudeseveral, goal is 200 trees
Certitude road20
Espace15
Evergreen70+ trees (with TLC students and others)
Town hall23
Transition SchoolSeveral
Maitreye30

India context:

It has now spread to 4 states: https://news2in.com/neem-trees-in-telangana-hit-with-dieback-disease/

https://m.timesofindia.com/city/hyderabad/after-ktaka-ap-neem-trees-in-t-hit-by-dieback-disease/amp_articleshow/87473498.cms

We could be looking at millions of trees dying.

World Context:

This could potentially become like the Dutch elm disease and Ash dieback. Both of which wiped out or are wiping out an entire species of tree.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/article/California-s-forests-are-dying-It-is-too-late-16947497.php

If you want to help:

Please get in touch. You can help by:

  • Coming in person to apply treatment on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 (contact to confirm location)
  • Learning the application method and doing it wherever
  • Spreading the info
  • Getting others to do it
  • Contributing financially (it costs about RS55 per tree just for the materials and we are all doing this for free) by using the temporary Auroville FS account for this: 253042
  • Letting me know if you have other methods which work
  • Inspecting the trees, plotting them and then monitoring them to see how the treatment is acting

I am happy to come by (locally) and explain, show, teach (can be part of a school or research project).

Please let me know if you treat trees somewhere so we can record it (to later check if it works as intended and get statistics. If you want to be involved in this aspect, that is also possible).

This is the first step in setting up a response to a potentially huge loss of neem trees. All networking and collaboration could be improved and should be and if you want to coordinate efforts, please do so as I do not need, or necessarily want, to be involved.

If you have any other ideas, please suggest them (especially if you want to do the legwork).

Thanks,
Island
7598103616, island@auroville.org.in

Links to documentation:

Paper on dieback of neem: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264657693_Phomopsis_azadirachtae_-_The_Die-Back_of_Neem_Pathogen

Crude toxin extract from culture filtrate of Phomopsis azadirachtae infecting neem and its phytotoxicity: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.555.1928&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Paper on effectiveness of the one of the strains of bacterium we use: (Bacillus subtilis): https://academicjournals.org/article/article1381737132_Girish%20et%20al.pdf

Variation in Phomopsis azadirachtae , the incitant of die-back of neem: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1024.9357&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Another Article about one of the strains of Bacillus that we are using in our treatment.

Development of a simple and reliable species-specific detection of Phomopsis azadirachtae, using the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_x-pdWL6AvMYr-8tTQEgFH98fLxu-IPv/view

Abstract of a paper stating that this is quite common in TN: A survey of die-back disease of neem in Tamil Nadu, India and PCR-based confirmation of the isolates: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03235400903057613?scroll=top&needAccess=true

FAO: A Guide to the Identification of Diseases and Pests of Neem (Azadirachta indica): https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pRzoYuZS30WCuUyMiLhIU6kc76UF4Kvl&authuser=island%40auroville.org.in&usp=drive_fs

 Many people think neems are the toughest trees around and will manage “no worries” which begs the question of “why are they affected in the first place?”

Arboriculture Health and Safety in India

With such poor health and safety practices in India it makes sense to write about the dangers related to tree work and management. This is an article that I wrote which was published in The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) magazine Arborist News. A similar version was published in the Landscaping and Outdoor Living magazine, India

tree related health and safety in India
Tree Climbing standards in India
Getting to emergencies

Effects of Trees in Urban Spaces, Auroville, India

A presentation I gave providing a brief glimpse into the effects that trees have on our lives and surroundings in an urban setting.

Presentation starts at 3:30.

Recently, in urban settings, trees are being used more as green infrastructure providing ecosystem services rather than merely street furniture. This presentation illustrates some ways in which this applies.

This presentation uses examples from the U.S, the U.K. and from India, where I am based. It includes the positive and negative effects and ways to improve matters with existing trees as well as potential trees. It is based on experience and research from around the world.

This is relevant for architects, town planners, municipal corporations, engineers, landscapers and anybody interested in improving urban forests through arboriculture.

 

First International Seminar on Arboriculture, India

First international arboriculture seminar India

 

This seminar occurred on the 17th of February 2019 in Pune, India. It brought arboriculture to the table of planning and infrastructure in Indian cities. Tree consultants from India, the UK and Singapore presented to architects, landscapers, municipal corporations and other professional bodies involved with trees.

There were several good speakers with different experiences and backgrounds. They provided us with different views on current techniques and practices from around the world. It was a refreshing experience when arboriculture is currently rather rare in India.

Island Lescure, director and consulting arborist of Treescapes, was there to speak about the benefits and drawbacks of trees in urban spaces and how to improve matters. This is important as engineers and town planners need to be made aware of the importance trees can bring to improve social wellbeing, storm water management systems, energy savings and many other social, ecological and environmental aspects of our lives. Trees enhance our lives: this can even be worked out in a monetary way by using tools such as itreetools.org. But these trees need appropriate installation and management.

Tree presentation

Our associate, Jonas Suchanek, executive and climbing arborist of TreeCare India, was also present to give a demonstration of safe climbing techniques used around the world. This evoked quite a bit of interest (as fit young men swinging around in trees usually do) to improve the safety and efficiency of staff members of various parties present who climb trees. The current method of climbing and working in trees is both very safe and efficient. Short training courses can be provided.

tree climbing demonstration

We hope to see more of these sorts of events in India in the future. This will bring awareness of trees to people and it will enable us to improve ourselves and share our experiences. For a first event, it was a great success!

arboriculture seminar audience

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