The concept of conservation doesn’t tend to extend beyond the basics of keeping species alive. But this new Delhi based initiative is taking environmental care to a larger humanitarian level. In February 2010, the Delhi Municipal Corporation inaugurated the first ever Tree Ambulance service, for taking care of the trees in the local areas maintained by the NDMC. A majority of the trees in Lutyen’s Delhi are more than a century old, out of which only 25 of so were able to withstand the 2009 monsoons. The older the tree, the more hollow their trunks become, making it more difficult for them fight against diseases. And these trees have had their own set of health issues, which the ambulance service has been able to efficiently handle.

The service works in the objective of tending to trees that are affected by diseases brought upon by pests and fungi. The ambulances are customised vehicles equipped with fungicides, pesticides, leaf-cleaners and ladders. The team employed for the ambulance service consists of members who have trained at the Forest Research institute, Pusa. “Within the first couple of years we learnt a lot more on ground when we put all our knowledge into practice,” said Rohtash Sharma, a member of the team, in a report by The Better India. The teams works like a regular ambulance service, where people can directly contact them when they notice trees in and around the area having problems. In addition, the team also makes regular rounds in the local areas keeping an eye out for a tree in need of attention; even making it their duty to give trees a good watering every 10-15 days.

In a city like Delhi, trees are heavily affected by high pollution rates and are prone to neglect. Thats’s where a service like this would elevate environmental consciousness significantly. NDMC’s tree ambulance is the only operating service in the Capital city. If such a service was to expand its operations across the country, we have a much greater chance of creating a greener and eco-friendly environment.