India celebrated the last SeasonWatch Tree Festival of 2023. November-December was a strange time for India climatically. While we anticipated seeing signs of winter on the trees, rainfall and uncharacteristic temperatures may have made the trees behave very differently. Let’s look at what people found on trees around them in the ten days of the tree festival.
Overview
This tree festival finale received 5849 observations from all over India. Of these, 1649 were regular and 4200 were casual observations.
We love this distribution of observations on the map of India!
19 states and Union Territories participated in the festival. Kerala state has reclaimed its position as the top contributor this time, followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra in the top three states.
These observations were made on 145 out of the 171 SeasonWatch tree species. That’s the highest number of species observed so far!
Neem (Azadirachta indica) is the most observed species – another record broken this festival! Drumstick (Moringa oleifera), Indian Almond (Terminalia catappa) and Devil’s Tree (Alstonia scholaris) were most observed. As usual, Mango retained its position in the top 5 species, showing India’s undying love and loyalty to Mango!
Highlights
The November Tree Festival was featured on the Mint Lounge. Prapti Alva, a student of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and a member of the Campus Phenology Network shared her experience for this story. Please read the lovely article here. Thank you for covering the festival in such detail, Aisiri Amin!
We hope that one day these tree festivals will evolve into country-wide events like the Great Backyard Bird Counts. As a start, we put out a call for tree walk resource people to conduct simultaneous tree walks in their localities from across the country. It received a beautiful response from people across India. The first three days of December saw tree walks in Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Dr Smita Jadhav, Associate professor at Kirti College led Junior College students on a tree walk on the College Campus.
Saurabh Bhogale and Rohan Rajapkar with the degree college students on a tree walk on Kirti College Campus.
Tree walk conducted by Sayee and RRBCEA at the Empress Botanical Garden, Pune, Maharashtra.
An enthusiastic group on a tree walk with Dr Vedang Saunt and Shubha Kauthankar in Goa.
Tree enthusiasts in Bangalore on a tree walk led by Vinay Thite. Elizabeth S, too, led a small group at Veterinary College, Bangalore.
Manoj Kumar IB leading a tree walk in Cherai, Kerala.
Rajangam Sir and little tree-watchers on a tree walk in Salem, Tamil Nadu.
Little Wildlings of Rajapalayam on a tree walk!
We hope the ‘India Treewalk Network’ encourages more resource people to conduct treewalks. If you would like to join this network, please fill out this form – https://bit.ly/SWTreewalks.
Let’s get India tree walking!
Festival Challenges
The November Tree Festival had 2 challenges – the usual ‘100-not-out’ and a new ‘Never-before-November’ challenge. 55 individuals and 90 schools contributed observations to the festival.
100-not-out
The challenge is to add observations on 100 trees of any of the SeasonWatch species in the ten
days of the festival. 7 individuals completed this challenge – Dr P U Priyanka (281), K.S Lyla (250), RRBCEA (239), Thiyasree (195), Sonu Kumar (189), Vipul (186) and Arun Vasireddy (107).
23 schools, namely VVHSS Thamarakulam (530), Gandhi Smarak U P School- Mangalam (325), Blossom English School- Kainatty (211), MTSSGUB School (186), SMLPS Kaliyar (161), AKGM GHSS Pinarayi-Kannur (150), Alangad Jama-ath Public School (136), KPM Model School (131), Bemannur GUPS- Paruthippulli 678573 (126), and UMLPS Thiruvilwamala (119) and 3 colleges completed this challenge, namely Rajapalayam Rajus’ College (429), CPN-GSS College Belagavi – Karnataka (254), and Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda (196) contributed more than 100 observations during the festival.
Thank you for this wonderful contribution!
Winners
Dr P U Priyanka with 281 observations and VVHSS Thamarakulam with 530 observations are the winners of the 100-not-out challenge. Congratulations!
Never-before-November
This challenge required SeasonWatchers to add as many observations as they could on 5 common tree species – Devil’s Tree (Alstonia scholaris), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Mast Tree (Monoon longifolium), Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) and Indian Almond (Terminalia catappa). Despite being common, these species are observed less. But thanks to this challenge, all of these species are among the most observed species of this festival! 684 Neem trees were observed, followed by 580 Drumstick trees, 456 Indian Almond trees, 372 Devil’s trees and 255 Mast trees.
We checked how many trees had ‘old leaves’ since it’s the season! The data shows that 62.34% of the observed trees have old leaves. Here’s how this data looks –
79 people observed the species of this challenge. Of these, 17 SeasonWatchers added observations on all 5 species during the festival – VVHSS Thamarakulam, Dr.P U Priyanka, Alangad Jama-ath Public School, KPM Model School, K.S Lyla, Bemannur GUPS – Paruthippulli 678573, Blossom English School- Kainatty, Himanshu Lad, UMLPS Thiruvilwamala, RRBCEA, AKGM GHSS Pinarayi-Kannur, Nibedita Ghosh, GSS college Belagavi- Karnataka, Arun Vasireddy, Govt V H S S Veeranakavu, Renuka and Subhiksha.
Winners
This challenge, too, was won by Dr P U Priyanka with 281 observations and Rajapalayam Rajus’ College with 424 observations.
Kerala has topped the festival this time and how!
New Resource: Tree Phenology Guide
SeasonWatch launched a new resource – a Tree Phenology Guide on the 171 tree species of SeasonWatch. This document contains images of the habit and all the phenophases viz new leaves, mature leaves, dying leaves, buds, open flowers, male/female flowers, unripe fruits, ripe fruits and open fruits. The PDF file can be downloaded here for free.
The images are taken from open sources such as Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist, a global citizen science platform for biodiversity documentation. Some of the phenophase images need to be added to the document. If you have these images, please share them with us by email to sw@seasonwatch.in. They can also be uploaded on Wikimedia Commons or iNaturalist.
Please share this document with fellow tree enthusiasts as well. We look forward to your feedback and photos!
Contributors
We thank everyone who contributed to this tree festival and made it a rewarding experience for us. We hope you enjoyed watching trees and found value in observing them. Here is every participant of the November Tree Festival 2023 –
Individuals (55)
Ameeliya, ANET, Angeline Mano M, Anna, Avishek Sarkar, Benoy Joseph (Infant Jesus HS – Vadayar), Bluejay, Deepa, Deepiksha S, Dharitri Swain, Dipika Shenai, Divya R, Dr P U Priyanka, Elamathi C, FES Anjaniya (SHT Mandla), FES Bichhiya (SHT Mandla), FES Niwas (SHT Mandla), Gauravya Mohan, Geetha Ramaswami, Hari Haran P, Himanshu Lad, Jaya Rakesh, K Murugan, K.S Lyla, Karthika, Mani C, Manoj, Muthusiva Pradeeban, Nibedita Ghosh, Niranjan Vinod, Niya Goyal, P S Baiju, P. Rajangam, Prabhakaran PV, Pradnya, Prarthana (Bhavans Adarsha Vidyalaya 6C), Ragu, Renuka, RJ, RRBCEA, S Vishnusankar, Saw John Aung Thong, Sayee Girdhari, Selvaganesh, Shivraj Dhumketi, Sikha Hariharan, Sonal Naik, Sonu Kumar, Subhiksha, Suhel Quader, Tahir Gazanfar, Thiyasree, Thryambak Sha, Arun Vasireddy, Vipul.
Schools and Colleges (90)
AKGM GHSS Pinarayi – Kannur, Alangad Jama-ath Public School, Amrita Vidyalayam – Kakkad, Kannur, AMUPS Akode Virippadam, AUPS Sreekrishnapuram, AUPS Adakkaputhur, BEM UP School Koyilandy, Bemannur GUPS – Paruthippulli 678573, Bhavan’s Adarsh Vidyalaya – Kakkanad, Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir- Elamakkara, Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir – Variyapuram, Pathanamthitta, Blossom English School- Kainatty, Carmel Jyothi Special School – Machiplave, Carmel Residential Senior Secondary School, Catholicate HSS, Chavaradarsan CMI Public School-Koonammavu, Chinmaya Vidyalaya Kattakada, CHSS Chentrappinni, BITS Pilani- K. K. Birla Goa Campus, Indubhai Parekh School of Architecture- Rajkot, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) – Bhubaneswar, GSS College Belagavi – Karnataka, Maharaja Sayajirao University, GLP School Mundur, GUPS, Gandhi Smarak U P School – Mangalam, GDMLPS Valapad, GHS Beenachi, GHS Valavayal, GHSS Cheruthuruthy, GHSS Karaparamba, GHSS karuvarakundu, GHSS Thonnakkal School, GMUP School Velur, Govt. LPS Pattatil, Govt U. P. S. Poozhikkad, Govt. VHSS Veeranakavu, Govt. LPS Vaikom Town, GUPS Anakkayam, GUPS Chengara, GUPS Kambalakkad, GUPS Mundur, GVHSS Cheriyazheekal, GVHSS Moolamattom, HariSree Public School, Holy Infant Mary UP School, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Islahiya Public School – Kottakkal, Kamblakkad GUP School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, KPM Model School, KV Puranatukara Thrissur, MTSSKGUP School, Mahlara public school, Mankara West Basic and UP School, Mar Augen High School – Kodanad, Mar Thoma Public School Kakkanad, MBAUPS Koliyadi, McLeod’s English School, MKHSS Vengoor, NVUPS Vayala Anchal Kollam, Nalanda Public school Thammanam, NHSS Narokkavu, OLCGHS Palluruthy, Panchayat Union Middle School Thalavaipatty – Salem, PMMUPS Chentrappinni, Puthichal UPS, Rajapalayam Rajus’ College, RCHSS Chundale, S K M J H S S Kalpetta, S V V H S S Thamarakudy, Sahyadri School, Salem Ornithological Foundation, Samaritan Mission School High, SMLPS Kaliyar, S N Trust HSS Thottada – Kannur, SNV SKT HSS, South Kuthuparamba U P School, St. Joseph’s Girls’ High School Meppadi, St. Mary’s LPS Kaliyar, St. George U. P. School Moolamottom, St. Michaels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Kannur, St.Gemmas Girls HSS – Malappuram, St. Mary’s Jnanodaya English School- Maicavu, Sujatha TV, T H S Puthenchira, U M L P S Thiruvilwamala, Vidyodaya, VKV Nivedita Vihar, VVHSS Thamarakulam
SeasonWatch received a lot of registrations, observations, feedback and love in 2023. We hope for the same in the next year as well.
Happy New Year 2024, Happy SeasonWatching!
