“AMARA” A Citizen-Driven Initiative: Concluding Session for 2025

Venue: Netravathi Bridge, Adamkuduru, Mangalore 

Date: August 14th, 2025. Time: 9.00 am 

“AMARA” is a spirited citizen-driven project, launched on World Environment Day, June 5,  2025, as a collaborative effort led by the District Administration, Mangaluru City Corporation  (MCC), Karnataka Forest Department (KFD), and CFAL Research Centre, under the  leadership of its Trustee, Mr. Vijay Moras, and Dr. Smitha Hegde, Director of Research, along  with the CFAL and ELC students and teams. The launch event, held at the New DC Office,  Padil, was inaugurated on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5th, marking the  official beginning of the AMARA mission. 

The CFAL Research Centre focuses on sustainability, preserving and enhancing biodiversity  in cities, and improving city rankings in liveability and environmental indices. The AMARA  initiative, carried out with the citizens of Mangaluru, is one of the key efforts of the CFAL  Research Centre to achieve these goals. 

The project has also invited a broad consortium of community organizations, including the  National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Lions Club, Rotary Club,  Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Confederation of Real Estate Developers’  Associations of India (CREDAI), and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The  primary goal of “AMARA” is to significantly boost the city’s current low public green cover  of 6.24%. 

The AMARA mission has set a target to plant over 30,000 trees across Mangaluru’s 60 wards.  By 2040, it aims to increase the green cover of the city to 30% by planting and maintaining 1.5  lakh trees in the urban areas of Mangaluru. The initiative seeks to create a cooler, cleaner,  greener, and more resilient city, improving its ranking on India’s Ease of Living Index. 

By late July–August 2025, impressive progress had been made, resulting in the successful  planting and geo tagging of over 11,000 trees and woody shrubs of 145 different species. These  plantings predominantly feature native and adaptive species of cultural, food, and medicinal  value, such as Ficus species, Mango, Jackfruit, and Neem (list enclosed). 

Notable contributors to this MCC-driven activity include the CFAL Research Centre, the Forest  Department, Jeeth Milan Roche (Vana Charitable Trust), Ashwini K. Bhat, MV Shetty  Institution, Roshini Nilaya, Pilikula Golf Club, Madhav Suvarna (Bengre Ward), Mangalore  Rotary Club, Incture Technologies, Swasthika Nandanapura, and St. Ann’s School, Kelarai.  NECF has extended its support in principle for the protection and improvement of Mangaluru’s  green cover. 

To ensure transparency and long-term sustainability, the CFAL Research Centre has  implemented an innovative digital auditing system using apps to geotag each sapling,  meticulously recording its species, location, growth (height and girth), and health status. 

Plantation efforts are widely distributed across numerous areas within the city. Key locations  where significant planting has occurred include Derebail, Kavoor Ward, Bengre Ward,  Shivabagh, Morgans Gate, Mangaladevi, Mallikatte, Nantoor Road, KHB Colony, Gujarathi  School Alake, Pacchanadi, Pilikula Golf Club, Vamanjoor, and St. Ann’s Kelarai School. 

Additionally, specific audited sites encompass the stretch from KSRTC to Kavoor Junction,  Jeppu, Valencia, Shaktinagar, Ladyhill, and Kunjathbail. 

Mangaluru has the unique advantage of a coastline that supports mangrove populations. Over  40,000 mangrove saplings are planted by August 15, 2025, sponsored by Syngene CSR,  enabled by the Biocon Foundation & VANA Charitable Trust. 

The detailed list of tagged and audited trees are as follows: 

DIVERSITY 

1. Acacia mangium 
2. Albizia julibrissin 
3. Albizia lebbeck 
4. Alpinia purpurata 
5. Alstonia scholaris 
6. Annona muricata 
7. Annona reticulata 
8. Annona squamosa 
9. Ardisia elliptica 
10. Artabotrys hexapetalus 
11. Artocarpus elasticus 
12. Artocarpus heterophyllus 
13. Artocarpus hirsutus 
14. Artocarpus lacucha 
15. Averrhoa carambola 
16. Azadirachta indica 
17. Baccaurea ramiflora 
18. Bambusa multiplex 
19. Bauhinia purpurea 
20. Bergera koenigii 
21. Breonadia salicina 
22. Bunchosia armeniaca
23. Caesalpinia pulcherrima 24. Calophyllum caledonicum 25. Calophyllum inophyllum 26. Camellia sinensis 
24. Capparis tomentosa 28. Carallia brachiata 29. Careya arborea 
25. Carica papaya 
26. Caryota mitis 
27. Casearia sylvestris 33. Cassia fistula 
28. Ceiba pentandra 
29. Cestrum nocturnum 36. Cinnamomum verum 37. Cinnamomum verum 38. Citrus hystrix 
30. Cocos nucifera 
31. Conocarpus erectus 41. Cordia monoica 
32. Crotalaria pallida 43. Dalbergia latifolia 44. Dillenia indica 
33. Diospyros buxifolia 46. Diospyros malabarica 47. Ehretia aspera 
34. Erythroxylum coca 49. Ficus benghalensis 50. Ficus elastica 
35. Ficus ingens 
36. Ficus racemosa 
37. Ficus religiosa 
38. Flacourtia montana 55. Funtumia africana 56. Garcinia gummi-gutta 57. Garcinia indica 
39. Garcinia intermedia 59. Garcinia kola 
40. Garcinia xanthochymus 61. Gliricidia sepium 
41. Gmelina arborea
42. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 64. Holarrhena floribunda 65. Holarrhena pubescens 66. Holigarna arnottiana 
43. Jasmine 
44. Khaya senegalensis 
45. Lagerstroemia speciosa 70. Leucaena leucocephala 71. Litsea glutinosa 
46. Litsea monopetala 
47. Lophopetalum wightianum 74. Macaranga tanarius 75. Madhuca longifolia 
48. Magnolia champaca 77. Mallotus oppositifolius 78. Mammea suriga 
49. Mangifera indica 
50. Manilkara zapota 
51. Margaritaria dioscorea 82. Markhamia lutea 
52. Markhamia tomentosa 84. Mesua ferrea 
53. Miconia prasina 
54. Mimusops elengi 
55. Mitragyna parvifolia 88. Monoon longifolium 89. Morinda citrifolia 
56. Muntingia calabura 
57. Myristica fragrans 
58. Myrsine coriacea 
59. Neolamarckia cadamba 94. Nephelium lappaceum 95. Nerium oleander 
60. Persea indica 
61. Persea macrantha 
62. Phyllanthus emblica 99. Pimenta dioica 
63. Pithecellobium dulce 101. Pongamia pinnata 102. Pongamia pinnata
64. Pouteria campechiana 104. Premna serratifolia 105. Psidium guajava 
65. Pterocarpus marsupium 107. Pterocarpus santalinus 108. Pterospermum acerifolium 109. Pterospermum reticulatum 110. Pterygota alata 
66. Russelia equisetiformis 112. Sabal minor 
67. Santalum album 
68. Sapindus mukorossi 115. Saraca asoca 
69. Saraca indica 
70. Senegalia gaumeri 118. Simarouba amara 119. Simarouba glauca 
71. Spathodea campanulata 121. Swietenia mahagoni 122. Syzygium caryophyllatum 123. Syzygium cordatum 124. Syzygium cumini 
72. Syzygium jambos 
73. Syzygium malaccense 127. Syzygium malaccense 128. Syzygium samarangense 129. Tabebuia rosea 
74. Tamarindus indica 131. Tectona grandis 
75. Terminalia arjuna 133. Terminalia arjuna 134. Terminalia bellirica 135. Terminalia catappa 136. Theobroma cacao 137. Thespesia populnea 138. Trema orientale 
76. Trichilia dregeana 140. Trichilia emetica 
77. Umbellularia californica 142. Unknown
78. Vateria indica 
79. Vepris louisii 
80. Vitex altissima 
81. Rhizophora mucronate 147. Kandelia candel 148. Avicennia officinalis