Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-2 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in Survey On Trees In District Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India Dr. Yashwant Rai Green Planet Welfare Association Meerut, U.P. INDIA ABSTRACT : A study was conducted in all Keywords: Tree, Meerut, Survey, Multipurpose, area of Meerut district during March 2009 to conservation. November 2015 to investigate the Multipurpose use Trees diversity. Some trees species recorded INTRODUCTION all parts of Meerut but some tees species (rare) recorded in few parts of Meerut. A total of 101 Meerut is having prestigious space in the Indian species of trees belonged to 89 genera under 37 history. The first revolution for freedom of India families were recorded for the first time. The was started here itself in 1857 by great son of family Leguminosae was found to be dominant this soil Mangal Pandey. Capital of Kauravs & with (18 species) followed by Apocynaceae (07 Pandavas was at Hastinapur. Meerut is 65 km species), Moraceae (07 species), Meliaceae (05 away from the National Capital Territory. Fertile species), Euphorbiaceae (04 species), land of Meerut for growing many species of tree. Lythraceaev (04 species), Rubiaceae (04 The total forest area in the Meerut district is species), Bignoniaceae (03 species), 21,314 hectare. Trees are an important part of Combretaceae (3 species), Myrtaceae (03 life. Since the beginning, trees have furnished us species), Rosaceae (03 species), Rutaceae (03 with two of life's essentials, food and oxygen. species), Sterculiaceae (03 species), Trees contribute to their environment by Anacardiaceae (02 species), Asclepiadaceae (02 purifiers air quality, climate amelioration, Water species), Bombacaceae (02 species), purifiers, conserving water, preserving soil, and Boraginaceae (02 species), Ebenaceae ( 02 supporting wildlife. They also lower the air species), Malvaceae (02 species), Sapindaceae temperature and reduce the heat intensity of the (02 species) Sapotaceae (2 species), Ulmaceae greenhouse effect by maintaining low levels of (02 species), Verbinaceae (02 species), carbon dioxide. Trees are of exceptionally high Annonaceae (01 species), Arecaceae (01 ecological, socioeconomic and cultural species), Capparaceae (01 species), Caricaceae importance. As the principal biomass component (01 species), Casuarinaceae (01 species), of forest ecosystems, they provide habitat for at Loginaceae (1 species), Moringaceae (01 least of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity species), Oleaceae (01 species), Proteaceae (01 (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005), species), Putranjivaceae (01 species), supporting 80% of amphibian, 75% of bird and Rhamnaceae (01 species), Salicaceae (01 68% of mammal species (Vié et al., 2009). Trees species), Santalaceae (01 species) and and forest ecosystems provide a wide range of Simaroubaceae (01 species). All the species are benefits to people including production of commercially and ecologically multipurpose use timber, fuel wood and fiber, and ecosystem such as medicinal, dye, timber, wildlife services such as clean water, flood protection conservation, ornamental, phytoremediation and and prevention of soil erosion from watersheds, avenue trees. The present study emphasizes the as well as being of high cultural and spiritual need multipurpose tree species and their value (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, conservation and sustenance for future 2005; UNEP, 2009). Some 1.6 billion people generation and wildlife. depend directly on trees for their livelihoods (World Bank, 2004), and forest industries Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 593 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-2 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in contribute around $468 billion annually to the are currently recorded as threatened with global economy (FAO, 2011). Leguminous trees extinction at the global scale (Oldfield et al., have nodulation or nitrogen fixation ability 1998; Newton and Oldfield, 2008). However, (Sprent, 2001). Forest trees used for wood and information is lacking on the status and as an ornamental, mainly along the streets and distribution of many suspected rare species of avenue trees. It also helps to reduce trees, and the true figure is likely to be much environmental pollution (Lorenzi, 1992). higher. Trees are of exceptional ecological Among many woody species well adapted and importance, providing habitat for a wide range commonly used multipurpose fruit trees of other organisms. Many of these trees also intensively exploited for fruits, seeds, fodder, benefit people, and are associated with social, wood and traditional medicine (Okafor, 1991). economic or cultural values. Consequently, their Moreover, fruit tree species contribute to continued decline or loss can have a major overcome nutritional problems and are important impact on human wellbeing. In the present sources of income for rural communities (Ambé, study, a total of 101 species of trees were 2001).The loss and degradation of forest collected along with the documentation of ecosystems resulting from human activity are significant information regarding their scientific major causes of global biodiversity loss (UNEP, names, common names, families and used for 2009; Vié et al., 2009). Clearance of population different purposes. It is, therefore, very growth, mining, urbanization and industrial necessary to document the useful multipurpose development all contribute to the loss of tree and conserve it for future generations and species in the Meerut. There is an urgent need to biodiversity conservation. conserve tree species. Around 7,800 tree species Fig. A : Map of Meerut District Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 594 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-2 , 2016 ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in MATERIALS AND METHODS Diospyros virginiana, Dombeya natalensis , The study was conducted in Meerut District Drypetes roxburghii, Ehretia laevis, Emblica during March 2009 to September 2015. The officinalis,Erythrina indica, Fernandoa survey was done months March, May and adenophylla, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus September 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 religiosa, Hamelia patens, Grevillea robusta, on the all area of Meerut. Study area, Meerut Holoptelea integrifolia, Jacaranda mimosifolia, district is located between 77º. 00’ and 78º. 00’ Kigella Africana, Lagerstroemia indica, longitude East and 28º. 54’ & 29º. 15’ latitude Lagerstroemia speciosa, Leucaena North. Fig. A. The temperature of the district is leucocephala, Mangifera indica, Melia varies from 4º C in winter to 48º C in summer. azedarach, Mimusops elengi, Moringa oleifolia, The rainy session normally starts in the end of Morus alba, Murraya koenigii, Nerium indicum, June month. The average rainfall is about 686 Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Phoenix dactylifera, mm. Meerut district comprises of 676 villages Pithecellobium dulce, Plumeria obtuse, under 12 blocks. The survey involved field work Polyalthia longifolia, Pongamia pinnata, and multipurpose use of tree information Prosopis juliflora, Psidium guajava, collected from local peoples and various Pterospermum acerifolium, Ricinus communis, research papers. Trees observed were two Syzygium cumini, Tamarindus indica, Tectona groups common (found in many areas of Meerut grandis, Terminalia arjuna, Thevetia peruviana, district) and rare (found in few areas of Meerut Toona ciliata, Ziziphus mauritiana, these district). Tree species were photo-documented species are recorded in many parts of Meerut. by Sony Digital camera model no. DSC HX1, But Adenanthera pavonina, Adina cordifolia, during the study period. Species identity, were Aphanamixis polystachya, Artocarpus confirmed with the help of the books by R.K. hetrophyllus, Artocarpus lakoocha, Butea Chakraverty and S. K. Jain (1984), P. Krishen monosperma, Casuarina equisetifolia, Celtis (2006), P. V. Prasanna et al (2012) and Y. Rai tetrandra, Chorisia insignis, Chukrasia (2015). tabularis, Cordia dichotoma, Creteva adansonii, Diospros melanoxylon, Eriobotrya RESULTS AND DISCUSSION japonica, Ficus glomerata, Helicteres isora, In present survey study investigation, the multi Holarrhea antidysenterica, kydia calycina, use tree species were recorded. Totally there are Laserstroemia alba, Lawsonia inermis, Limonia 101 of tree species belonging to 37 families and acidissima, litchi chinensis, Madhuca indica, 89 genera were recorded. Acacia catechu, Prunus persica, Pyrus communis, Salix Acacia nilotica, Aegle marmelos. Ailanthes tetraphylla, Santalum album, Sapindus excels, Albizia lebbeck, Alstonia scholaris, mukrossi, Securinega virosa, Spondias pinnata, Anthocephalus cadamba, Azadirachta indica, Sterculia foetida, Streblus asper, Strychnos nux- Bauhinia variegata var candida, Bombax ceiba, vomica, Tamilnadia uliginosa, Terminalia Calliandra haematocephala, Callistemon bellirica, Terminalia chiubula, Trewia viminalis, Calotropis gigantea, Calotropis nudiflora, Vitex negundo, Wrighta arborea, procera, Carica papaya, Carissa carandas, these are recorded in few parts of Meerut. A Cassia fistula, Cassia siamea, Cassia complete result clear in the Table 1,Table 2 and spectabilis, Dalbergia sissoo, Delonix regia, Fig B 101 photographs. TABLE :1 Trees of Meerut district Uttar Pradesh Sr. Botanical Name Common Location & Status Uses No. Name 1 Acacia catechu Khair Mostly Hastinapur Source of kattha, which is astringent, forest and many areas of