The arrival of rains brings a wave of changes to the trees in the form of lush new foliage, flowers and young fruits. Despite the heavy battering of rains in India, these changes were celebrated and documented with SeasonWatch by thousands of people all over India.
Here is a summary of the August Tree Festival.
Overview
Owing to the heavy rains in some parts of India and issues with the SeasonWatch App, the tree festival was extended. We celebrated the festival for 17 days, which means there are more observations and more tree walks than usual!
The August Tree Festival gathered 14,031 observations from 19 states and Union Territories.
Kerala reclaims its top position in the competition with 7,192 observations. Tamil Nadu follows with 3,199 observations. Karnataka, Gujarat and Puducherry are next in the top 5 states of this festival. We are delighted to see observations from Assam (by Binoy Chutia), Bihar (Foundation for Ecological Security and Nalanda University) and Uttarakhand (Abhishek Shukla).
Check out the state-wise contribution –
Of all the observations, 4787 are on regular trees and 9244 are casual observations. These observations were made on 162 (out of 171) SeasonWatch Tree species. After losing the top place to Teak (Tectona grandis) in the last festival, Mango (All varieties of Mangifera indica) is back on the top with 1022 observations. The rest of the species in the top 5 are Neem (Azadirachta indica), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Coconut (Cocos nucifera) and Teak (Tectona grandis). Want to know about the remaining 5 in this season’s top 10 species? Here’s a graph –
Festival highlights
Observations
Tree enthusiasts have been sharing photos of their tree observations too.
Aditya Satpute shared a Scholar’s Tree (Alstonia scholaris) blooming sooner than usual in Mumbai. Students of SN Trust Higher Secondary School, Kannur pose with an unusual bloom of an Indian Laburnum (Cassia fistula) (Photo shared by Prabhakaran PV)
ANET members observe trees in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Sonu Kumar shares his SeasonWatch observation of Dhok (Terminalia pendula) in Rajasthan
Tree walks
It was raining tree walks too! Here are snippets from the monsoon tree walks that happened across India –
Tree walks at Rao Jodha Desert Park (Photo by Rohan Jhunja), Jaipur conducted on 4 and 11 August 2024
Richa Singhi of Itra Foundation organized two tree walks in Jaipur – in Chandwaji on 3rd August and Smriti Van on 14 August. Look at all the seasonal greenery!
Prithvi Nature Club of MIT-WPU organized a tree walk led by Chintan Bhatt in Pune-Okayama Garden on 11 August 2024
SeasonWatch Coordinator Sayee and the all-women participants of a ree walk at the Empress Botanical Garden, Pune on 11 August 2024.
Binoy Sir and his students at the Upper Primary School, Assam celebrated the tree festival by creating a ‘Leaf album’.
The fantastic Renee Vyas took enthusiasts to meet some seasonal flora at Maharashtra Nature Park, Mumbai (Photo by Rima).
Festival Challenges
This festival had 3 challenges – the usual 100-not-out and 2 seasonal challenges. We will check whether our trees are showing phenophase at the same time each year. Hence, we brought back the monsoon challenges from previous tree festivals – Ficus Frenzy and Feather Glory. Let’s see what these challenges show us!
100-not-out
This challenge asks contributors to observe 100 trees per week of the festival. Since it was a 3-week festival, making 300 observations would make contributors eligible for the competition. K S Lyla (346), Rebekahl (300), Rajapalayam Rajus’ College (2185), KKMGVHSS Elippakulam (670), Mount Carmel GHSS (627), VVHSS Thamarakulam (504), MTSSKGUP School (503), AKGM GHSS Pinarayi Kannur (468), Pondicherry University (460) and GSS College Belgavi, Karnataka (378) qualified with more than 300 observations.
Great job, everyone. Thank you for these brilliant contributions!
Winners
In the individual category, K S Lyla (346 observations) and in the school/college category, Rajapalayam Rajus’ College (2185 observations) are the 100-not-out champions. Congratulations!
Ficus Frenzy
The challenge focuses on the 5 Ficus species on the SeasonWatch list, namely Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Banyan (Ficus benghalensis), Country Fig (Ficus racemosa), Soft fig (Ficus mollis) and Bedu-Punjab Fig (Ficus palmata). Peepal, Banyan and Country Fig are found almost all over India. Soft Fig is a resident of dry, rocky regions of India. Bedu or Punjab Fig is distributed in the Western Himalayas, found in the states of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
1760 observations were recorded on all 5 Ficus species. Peepal is the most observed species with 934 observations followed by Banyan (582), Country Fig (196), Soft Fig (36) and Punjab Fig (12).
The challenge was to observe at least 2 of the 5 Ficus species. 128 individuals, schools and colleges recorded observations on Ficus species. Of these, 53 contributors completed the challenge. Of these, FES Peddamandyam-Andhra Pradesh and Rajapalayam Rajus’ College observe 4 of the 5 Ficus species. Brilliant job!
Ficus Phenology
During this festival, 30.74% of the observed trees were with fruits. This compares with the 32.7% fruiting Ficus species observed in August 2022. These maps provide a visual representation of Ficus observations in 2022 and 2024.
Winners
In the individual category, the Foundation for Ecological Security – Peddamandyam, Andhra Pradesh wins with 49 observations. These were contributed by about 619 students, CRPs, community members, teachers and FES team members, coordinated by V Prasanna Latha.
In the school/college category, Govindram Seksaria Science College – Belagavi, Karnataka takes the trophy with 196 observations. These were contributed by just two students – Arati Jadhav and Suvarna Kamble.
Congratulations and thank you for observing Ficus trees with SeasonWatch!
Feather Glory
The focus of this challenge was 4 tree species with feathery, bipinnately compound leaves, namely – Siris (Albizia lebbeck), Babool (Vachellia nilotica), Chinese lantern tree (Dichrostachys cinerea) and Badminton-ball tree (Parkia biglandulosa). While Siris, Babool and Badminton-ball tree are popularly planted trees all over India, the Chinese Lantern tree is found wild in the scrublands.
531 observations were recorded on the feathery-leaved tree species. 290 observations on Siris, 181 observations on Babool, 33 observations on the Chinese Lantern tree and 27 observations on the Badminton-ball tree were added during the festival.
47 individuals, schools and colleges participated in this challenge. Of these, Pondicherry University, Arun Vasireddy and VVHSS Thamarakulam observed all 4 species of the challenge. Excellent job!
Leaf Phenology
We are looking at new leaves on the challenge species. In this festival, 86.25% of the observed trees were with new leaves. When this challenge was first introduced in the July Tree Festival 2023, 98% of the observed trees showed new leaves. Here is how Feather Glory trees were observed all over the country in 2023 and 2024 –
Winners
Both, individual and school/college winners of this challenge are from Tamil Nadu – Rebekahl wins with 27 observations and Rajapalayam Rajus’ College wins with 124 observations. Congratulations!
Contributors
SeasonWatch team deeply appreciates the efforts of every contributor of the festival and thanks everyone for stepping out this season and observing trees with us. Thank you for making another one of our tree festivals a grand success.
Individuals (63)
Aadith S R (3), Abhishek Shukla (1), Aditi Rao (1), Aman (2), Amelia Britto (1), Anand Shankar (2), Ananya Guru Sangameshwar (1), ANET (192), Aravind (4), Aswathi Asokan (3),
Binoy Chutia (4),
Deepiksha S (5), Denzil Britto (33), Dharitri Swain (5), Dharmveer (3),
FES (15), FES Anjaniya (SHT Mandla) (61), FES Bichhiya (SHT Mandla) (173), FES Niwas (SHT Mandla) (48), FES-Mandla (26), Foundation for Ecological Security Peddamandyam AP (262), Geetha Ramaswami (14),
Hari Haran P (18), Himanshu Lad (116),
Jaya Rakesh (6), Jharana (4),
K.S Lyla (346), Kalaipriya (86), Karthika (69), Karthikeyan A (2), Kaviya (39), Kousik (1), Krishna Panyam (1),
Mani C (1), Mayurika Leuva (212), Mayuri Patel (8), MD Wasim Akram (1), Nivedhya subash (12),
P S Baiju (12), P. Chitralekha (66), P.RAJANGAM (23), PRABHAKARAN. PV (16), Pushkar Gaikwad (10),
Rahul Sharma (1), Ramana Kumar Kandula (13), Ramya (14), Rebekahl (300), RRBCEA (3),
S Vishnusankar (285), Saw John Aung Thong (24), Sayee Girdhari (190), Shadab (7), Sikha Hariharan (4), Sonia (3), Sonu kumar (47), Subhiksha (63), Suhel Quader (37), Suhirtha Muhil M (5), Sukannya V G (1),
Thryambak Sha (14), Tulika (2),
vandana panda (2), Vasireddy Arun (102)
Schools (105)
AKGM GHSS Pinarayi Kannur (468), Alangad Jama-ath Public School (204), Amaljyothi Ppecial School Painavu (1), AMLPS Chennara (38), AMMHSS (2), Amritha St. Mary’s School (3), AMUPS Akode Virippadam (25), Anand Vishva Gurukul (1), APPMVHSS Avaneeswaram (1), AUPS Mannengode (4), AUPS Sreekrishnapuram (1),
Bemannur GUPS Paruthippulli 678573 (166), Bharath English Medium UP School Poinachi (28), Bhavans Munshi Vidyashram Tripunithura (1),
Bhavans Vidya Mandir Elamakkara (91), BVV Thrikkakara (20),
Carmel Residential Senior Secondary School (46), Catholicate Higher Secondary School Pathanamthitta (274), Chanderbala Modi Academy (129), Chavaradarsan CMI Public School Koonammavu (6), Chenthrappinni HSS (22), Christu Jyothi Public School Rajakkad (49), CHSS (7),
Divine Public School Puthoor (4), Dr N International School N .Paravur (31),
Eriam Vidyamithram UP School (46)
GLPS Kurampala (2), GPMUPS Bhoothamkara (1), GUPS Kongad (1), GUPS Kodal (99), GUPS Pudukai (1), GHSS Thonnakkal (4), GUPS (46), GUPS Kumaranalloor (1), Gandhi Smarak U.P School Mangalam (287), GDM LP School (1), GHS Beenachi (3), GHSS Ayaparampu (1), GHSS Bhoothakulam (2), GHSS Cheruthuruthy (10), GHSS NEYYARDAM Neyyardam (8), GHSS Varavoor (4), GJB School Peruvemba (4), GKS GV (5), GLPS Anaprampal (4), GLPS Pramadom (6), GMVHSS Kasargod (6), Govt UPS Poozhikkad (258), GWLPS Mannadykala (3),
H C CGUPS Cheralayam (6), HUPS Eramallikkara (118), HariSree Public School (3), HDPY English Medium Public School (14),
Holy Angels Convent HSS Vanchiyoor (6),
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (29),
Kayaralam AUP school (54), KEMHS Alangad (2), Kendriya Vidyalaya (3), KHMHSS Valakkulam (31), Kizhuthally East UP School (12), KKMGVHSS Elippakulam (670), KMJ Central School Vadakkevila-Kollam (1), KPM Model School (10), KRHSS Purameri (1), KUTTIKKAKAM Kuttikkakam South LP School (2),
LFCGHSS Mammiyoor (10),
MES Central School Palangad (1), MWBUP School (1), MSHSS Ranny (9), MSPHSS Malappuram (5), MTSSKGUP School (503), MWBUP School (1), Mahlara public school (8), Mankara West Basic UP School (61), Mar Basil Higher Secondary School (1), Mar Thoma Public School Kakkanad (35), Mary Giri High School Maramchatty (17), Matonode (1), Mattakkara Higher Secondary School (28), McLeods School Bathery (16), MKHSS Vengoor (6), Mount Carmel GHSS (627), Muslim HSS Kangazha (28),
NMLP School Mylapra (1), Nalanda Public School (3), NHSS Narokkavu (6), Njavakkad LPS (18), NSS HSS PRAKKULAM (53),
OLCGHS Palluruthy (28),
PSNMUPS Veliyannoor (1), Panchayat Union Middle School Thalavaipatty Salem (18), Peace Public School Kottakkal (37), PM Shree KV Pattom (4), PNPMLPS Thamarakulam (2),
RMHS School Aloor (3), RSWGLPS Ettumanoor (1),
SNBHS Kanimangalam (26), SVHS Pandanad (29),
Thirumoolavilasam UPS (103), TVSA Tumkur (75),
UMLPS Thiruvilwamala (103),
VPMSNDPHSS Kazhimbram (2), VVHSS Thamarakulam (504), VHSS Kanichukulangara (VHSE) (1), Vidyodaya school Thevakkal (2)
Colleges (16)
AKD Dharmaraja Women’s College Rajapalayam (32), Anand Vishva Gurukul (1),
College of Forestry(15),
Deshbandhu College (51),
GITAM University Visakhapatnam (27), Global Academy of Technology (10), Govindram Seksaria Science College Belagavi (555),
JNVU Jodhpur (1),
KPM MODEL SCHOOL (10), Kumaraguru Institutions (21),
National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) Bhubaneswar (23),
Pondicherry University (460),
Rajapalayam Rajus’ College (2155), RV University (9),
Symbiosis school of biological sciences (11)
The Maharaja Sayajirao University (197).
The next tree festival will be held in November 2024. Keep observing trees until then and stay tuned for more details.
