The Mysuru City Corporation and citizen volunteers have recorded more than 121,000 trees in a citizen-led census [1].
This initiative establishes a baseline for the city's urban forest, allowing officials to monitor canopy health and plan sustainable development. By involving the public in data collection, the city creates a shared responsibility for maintaining green spaces amidst urban expansion.
The census documented over 121,000 trees [1]. This effort was designed to create a comprehensive living record of the city's green infrastructure, a resource that will be accessible via a public data portal [1].
Volunteers worked alongside city officials to identify and map the vegetation across Mysuru, Karnataka [1]. The project transforms raw environmental data into a digital asset that can be used for ecological research and municipal planning [1].
By utilizing a citizen-led model, the Mysuru City Corporation reduced the logistical burden of a government-only survey while increasing community engagement [1]. The resulting database serves as a tool for tracking the survival rate of existing trees and identifying areas where new planting is required to combat urban heat [1].
“The Mysuru City Corporation and citizen volunteers have recorded more than 121,000 trees”
The transition to a citizen-led digital census reflects a growing trend in 'crowdsourced governance,' where municipal bodies leverage local residents to gather high-volume environmental data. By creating a public portal, Mysuru is moving toward a transparent model of urban forestry that allows for public accountability regarding the preservation of the city's canopy.
