Dear efI Members, one of the member on Indian Flora on facebook has raised a very good question which you may please read below.
Kindly response https://www.facebook.com/Nareshbhalla/info Since Earth day is celebrated today and most members in this group are from botanical background .... I would like to know your views on below mentioned issue. We all basically live in urban areas where there are very less trees and pollution levels are very high. So do you guys think we should promote planting of Neem trees in our region. Our Municipal corporation should hire a horticulturalist and include a concrete plan to plant trees as per our city / town's ecology which will improve our life. Some facts about Neem trees: Neem is ecologically very special. The Vedas called Neem ‘sarva roga nivarini’ which means 'one that cures all ailments and ills'. It can tolerate very high levels of pollution and has the capacity to recover even if most of its foliage is dropped. Plants with a large leaf area such as Neem, accumulate relatively higher quantities of lead. Trees vary widely in their capacity to absorb pollutants like particulate dust, CO2, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. A study of locations in New Delhi, done by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, India in 1996 indicated that Neem tree is one of the most suitable species for checking urban pollution in industrial locations and it has potential in green belt development in hot spots with known history of high air pollution. Neem has relatively high efficiency of CO2 fixation. It can fix more than 14 umole of CO2 per m2 Sec. With a thick foliage canopy and a very high leaf surface area, it provides a good option for maximum CO2 fixation and providing a shield against other pollution components particularly SO2 By rough estimates, India currently has about 2 crore (20 million) Neem trees. The population of India is almost 100 crore (1 billion). The equation works out to approx. 1 neem tree for every 50 Indians. This proportion is grossly inadequate; keeping in view that every part of this fascinating plant is packed with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-histamine, anti-septic and immune stimulating compounds for treating hundreds of maladies. Neem trees act as highly efficient air filters that trap dust particles and absorb gaseous pollutants. They help reduce green house gases by absorbing large quantities of carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. Neem trees give more oxygen than other trees. The temperature under the shade of a neem tree is said to be about 10 degrees cooler than its surroundings; 10 air conditioners operated together may not be able to cool as efficiently as a full grown neem can. Neem is a hardy tree that requires almost no water and grows happily on wastelands. In the process it transforms degraded lands into fertile soil. The neem tree is known to halt spreading deserts. Some entomologists now believe that neem has such remarkable powers for controlling insects that it will usher in a new era in safe, natural pesticides. Neem is an intelligent pest repeller - it affects only harmful pests and does not affect useful species in the farm. And unlike chemical insectides and pesticides, pests do not become immune to neem. Neem trees can be planted in: Housing Societies – to repel mosquitoes and to enhance the availability of oxygen Road sides - to provide cooling shade and to reduce CO2, SO2 levels Parks – to provide a CO2 sink, to purify the air and provide refuge for birds Highways - to absorb the pollutants and provide shade Around farm lands – to act as wind breaks, to bind soil against erosion and to provide natural home grown pest control material They can be planted practically any location that receives plenty of sunlight and does not get water logged during rains. -- Regards Rajesh Sachdev http://project-matheran.webs.com/ http://www.facebook.com/leopardguy
