Beyond Tree Planting: Measuring Urban Greening in Punjab

In 2023, Pakistan's census indicated that 38.82 percent of the total population of the country resided in urban settings, emphasizing the need for building greener cities.

Consider a tree plantation campaign. There is the banner, there are the young saplings, there are a couple of pictures, and there is a headline announcing that thousands of saplings have been planted. There is something done, but what’s next?

How many trees survive, grow and provide shade after a year? The planting of a tree is simply the beginning. What counts is its survival and growth.

Why Relying on Tree Plantations is Not Sufficient

The number of saplings that have been planted cannot tell us, how many actually have survived and improved the environment. The hot summers in Punjab make it important that these saplings get enough water, care and maintenance, especially during the initial years of growth.

A satellite-based study revealed that in the Lahore District and surrounding areas, the percentage of built-up area increased from 22.99% in 2000 to 47.17% in 2020, whereas the agricultural land reduced from 53.21% to 46.16% .These statistics refer to land cover rather than tree counts; however, it demonstrated why urban greenery needs systematic monitoring.

Instead of celebrating the number of plantations done, we need to look at the trees that have survived and made an impact.

Five Metrics We Should Measure:

1. Survival: Are the Trees Still Standing?

The first indicator is the simplest one to calculate: how many of the trees planted are surviving?

This plantation might look great on the first day, but the truth is waiting to be revealed. New saplings require water and protection, especially in the summers in Punjab. Calculating the survival rates after 12, 24 and 36 months will help us understand the success of our plantation drives and also identify the areas where we need to focus more.

Canopy: Are the Trees Growing Adequately for Shade Provision?

If you were walking down the road on a hot summer afternoon, you probably would not be concerned about the number of trees that had been planted there, some years ago. The thing that you would probably want is sufficient shade to facilitate your walk.

That is why the concept of canopy should attract much more attention. Canopy is an expression that is used to describe the space covered by the crowns of trees. Monitoring changes in canopy cover can help show whether urban areas are becoming greener in a meaningful way.

Having young saplings in the street looks good, while having mature trees in the street means something more.

2. Cooling: Are Our Cities Becoming Cooler and Comfortable?

Anybody who has experienced a walk in the shaded park and then out in the sun on the streets must be familiar with the stark difference between the two.

Trees create shade and help in lowering the temperature of the surroundings. The influence differs according to their type, the size of their canopy, the availability of water and the surroundings.

In addition, the study conducted in Lahore showed that there was an increase in mean surface land temperature from 33°C in 2000 to 34.8°C in 2020. There is therefore a need for the monitoring of both heat and greenery. Authorities could compare the surface temperatures of greener and more built-up areas using satellite data.

3. Ecology: Are We Planting the Correct Trees?

Just as more trees don’t always mean a healthier urban ecosystem, same as the type of trees are just as crucial.

Selection of trees must take into account the local climate, soil, availability of water, root system, space requirements, and maintenance requirements. The use of native plants might help promote local biodiversity, but the best choice will depend on the site.

5. Equity: Who Gets to Enjoy the Benefits?

There is another question worth asking: are the benefits of urban greening reaching everyone?

Some neighborhoods feature lined up trees, parks, and shady walking paths and then, there are some neighborhoods that lack any greenery and long roads under the blazing sun. This is a very important aspect, especially when one thinks about those, who commute on foot, wait for public transportation, study or spend much of their day outdoors.

The comparison of the degree of urban greening and presence of green spaces among the neighborhoods may assist in determining those neighborhoods which demand special attention. Urban greening is not limited only to certain streets and public places.

Urban greening should also serve the purpose of improving the quality of life of the neighborhoods that lack greenery.

The 100-Tree Project

Schools, universities and different community groups could select 100 recently planted trees, recording their locations and taking photos on a periodic basis within a span of one year. The participants would be able to observe survival, signs of growth, and maintenance requirements, making it an easy community-based monitoring project.

From Plantations Campaigns to Concrete Achievements

The district administration and relevant city authorities should provide data regarding plantations, types of plants, maintenance data, survival rates, and changes in canopy covers. Universities and other community organizations could assist in verifying results.

Tree plantation is a vital process; however, it should not be the final stage of such initiative. It should be considered successful when the planted trees survive, grow and make the area better.

The greening campaigns in Punjab would be beneficial for local people if they consider the aspects such as survival of newly planted trees, canopy covers, and easy access to green spaces. The next time, a plantation campaign announces that thousands of trees have been planted, appreciate it but ask one more question:

How many of those trees will still be standing next year, and what difference will they make to the people living around them?

Because the real success of planting a tree is not the moment it enters the ground. It is what happens in the years that follow.