The Amara (Prakrutiye Pragati) initiative, launched on World Environment Day, has already planted nearly 40,000 saplings in Mangaluru, including 11,000 trees and shrubs and around 30,000 mangroves. The campaign aims to touch 50,000 by month-end. Led by the district administration, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), Karnataka Forest Department, and CFAL Research Centre, the project focuses on restoring greenery, encouraging citizen participation, and serving as a model for urban reforestation in India.
Helmed by Vijay Moras, CFAL trustee, and Prof Smitha Hegde, CFAL research director, the drive involves CFAL and ELC staff, students, and local teams. “It’s citizen-driven — anyone planting trees can register their effort and receive a certificate from MCC,” said Prof Hegde, noting that several plantings may still be unreported.
Inspired by the 2023 Tree Count Survey, which found just 6.2% greenery in Mangaluru’s public spaces, Amara aims to raise coverage to 30% by 2040 through 1.5 lakh plantings across 60 wards. Each sapling is geo-tagged and tracked for species, location, growth, and health, with native trees like ficus, mango, jackfruit, and neem dominating the list. Schools, NGOs, civic groups, and businesses have contributed significantly.
The initiative’s success has drawn interest from Mysuru and the Andhra Pradesh government for replication. Mangrove planting, sponsored by Syngene CSR via Biocon Foundation and Vana Charitable Trust, is ongoing near Adam Kudru, Netravathi River bridge. A closing ceremony will be held Thursday, with officials and contributors in attendance