A report on the “Health Status and Age Assessment of the trees of Rashtrapati Bhavan” was presented to the outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee by the Director, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun Dr Savita in a function held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Culture Centre, New Delhi on July 24. In this function, the President elect Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Council of Ministers were present. The report depicts the age of various older tree species growing in the Rashtrapati Estate by using scientific methodology. One Shisham tree located at Bal Vatika was found to be the oldest tree of the President’s Estate with an estimated age of 225 years. During this project the tree diseases and insect pest surveys, physiological studies and assessment of soil and irrigation water was also conducted apart from assessing the age of older trees.
After the study, the report was generated which also highlights important recommendations and suggestions for the better maintenance of trees.
The project was given to Forest Research Institute by the Rashtrapati Bhavan Secretariat in July 2016. The senior scientists, the forest pathologist Dr N S K Harsh, Dr Amit Pandey, Suresh Chandra, wood anatomist Dr P K Pandey, Physiologist Dr S P Chaukiyal, Soil Scientist Dr B.M. Dimri, Entomologist Dr Sudhir Singh contributed immensely in carrying out different studies and making the project successful.
Dr U D Kukreti, OSD (President’s Gardens) gave his active cooperation during the course of study and facilitated the FRI Scientists during surveys and sampling at Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate.