Mysuru Counts Its Trees: NAMMARA Audit Documents 1.16 Lakh Trees Across 65 Wards

Mysuru’s first scientific, citizen-led tree audit reveals 13.3% green cover, more than 900 tree species and significant differences in greenery across neighbourhoods.

Mysuru has long been admired for its tree-lined avenues, shaded streets and green neighbourhoods. Now, for the first time, the city has a scientific record of its urban tree population, offering a clearer picture of its green wealth and the challenges involved in protecting it.

The NAMMARA Mysuru Tree Audit Report 2025–26, led by Bherunda Foundation, has documented 1,16,764 trees and 367 other plants, taking the total number of mapped plants to 1,17,131 across all 65 municipal wards.

The initiative is an important step towards understanding, protecting and planning the city’s urban greenery using scientific data rather than estimates.

The findings: Mysuru’s green cover stands at 13.3%

One of the most significant findings of the audit is that Mysuru’s overall green cover stands at 13.3% across its 65 municipal wards. While the city has a diverse urban tree population, the distribution of greenery varies considerably between neighbourhoods.

Some of the key findings include:

• Vidyaranyapuram (Ward 61): Highest green cover at 28.9%.
• Ajeej Seth Nagar (Ward 33): Lowest green cover at just 0.09%.
• Dattagalli (Ward 46): Highest number of trees, with 8,024.
• Meenabazar (Ward 26): Lowest number of trees, with just 105.
• 20 wards: Recorded fewer than 500 trees each.

The findings highlight an important aspect of urban planning: having a green city is not just about the total number of trees, but also about ensuring that greenery is distributed across neighbourhoods.

More than 900 species recorded

The audit documented more than 900 tree species, reflecting the remarkable diversity of Mysuru’s urban vegetation.

Vijayanagar recorded the highest species richness, with approximately 300 species among its 7,420 trees. In comparison, Ajeej Seth Nagar recorded just 17 species.

The city also recorded a Shannon’s Diversity Index of 3.7, an ecological measure that considers both the variety of species and their distribution.

Another interesting finding is the dominance of Honge (Pongamia pinnata), which was the dominant tree species in 56 of the 65 wards. Other commonly represented species include Rain Tree, Copper Pod, Gulmohar and other varieties.

A citizen-led initiative involving hundreds of volunteers

NAMMARA is not just a government-led enumeration exercise. It brought together citizens, environmental enthusiasts, educational institutions and organisations.

The initiative was led by Bherunda Foundation, under the leadership of Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, with the Centre for Advanced Learning (CFAL) serving as its scientific and knowledge partner.

Mysuru City Corporation and Mysore Grahakara Parishat were among the key civic partners.

According to Bherunda Foundation, the project involved over 800 citizen scientists and 21 partner organisations. Volunteers participated in fieldwork, recording tree locations, identifying species and documenting tree characteristics.

Why is this tree audit important?

For a city like Mysuru, where heritage avenues and mature trees are part of its identity, maintaining urban greenery is increasingly important.

The audit provides a scientific baseline that can help authorities and environmental groups:

• Identify neighbourhoods with insufficient tree cover.
• Prioritise areas for future tree planting.
• Protect existing mature and heritage trees.
• Monitor tree health and species diversity.
• Make informed decisions about urban development.
• Improve long-term conservation planning.

The findings also highlight the need to focus on suitable native species, proper planting spaces and regular maintenance rather than simply increasing plantation numbers.

The next step: Turning data into action

The NAMMARA Tree Audit Report 2025–26 is an important starting point for understanding Mysuru’s urban green infrastructure.

The real impact of this exercise will depend on how effectively the findings are used by civic authorities, planners, environmental organisations and citizens.

Identifying areas with low tree cover, protecting existing trees and ensuring that future development accommodates greenery will be essential to preserving Mysuru’s environmental character.

After all, a city’s green heritage is not just something to admire. It is something that needs to be protected.

Read the Mysuru Tree Audit Report 2025–26

The complete report is available for download through the official NAMMARA website.