Why and How to Replace vilayati keekar with Native Trees in the Delhi Ecosystem?

Lead presentation: Prof. C.R. Babu, Professor Emeritus, Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE), School of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi

Discussants: Dr. M. Shah Hussain, Scientist-in-Charge, Aravalli Biodiversity Park; and Dr. Faiyaz A. Khudsar, Scientist-in-Charge, Yamuna Biodiversity Park

 Chair: Suhas Borker, founder  Member, Green Circle of Delhi

In the early 1920s the British brought to Delhi, many tree species that were native to Mexico and which monopolised sunlight and water – virtually killing any competition from native trees. Now a 100 years later, ecologists and botanists have been working hard to find ways to remove one such tree species – vilayati keeker (prosopis juliflora), which has killed almost all other native trees in the forest and wiped out biodiversity in the Ridge area. The Ridge area is spread over an area of 7,777 hectares and more than 80 per cent land is covered by vilayati keekar. Even the 90 acres of Lodhi Garden has a proliferation of this species

The discussion commemorates 25 years of the Green Circle of Delhi