Uttar Pradesh Aims for Ambitious Tree Plantation Drive

Chief Minister's Vision for Tree Plantation

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set an ambitious target of planting 350 million trees in a single day this year. He emphasized that the state has achieved significant milestones in tree planting through public participation in recent years, and this initiative will now evolve into a mass movement. During a review meeting for the extensive plantation campaign planned for 2026, he urged that under the 'One Tree in the Name of Mother' initiative, each Anganwadi center should plant at least five moringa saplings, while every student in schools and colleges should plant at least one tree.

The meeting highlighted that the state has made remarkable progress in tree planting over the years. From 2009 to 2016, 514.8 million trees were planted, while from 2017 to 2025, this number surged to 2.4213 billion. During this period, there was a historic increase of 338,000 acres in forest and tree cover, raising the green cover to approximately 9.96%. The state has also outperformed the national average in carbon stock increase, recording a growth of 2.46%. The Chief Minister stated that Uttar Pradesh must accelerate its green revolution, aiming for a 15% green cover by 2030 and 20% by 2047.

He instructed that the 2026 campaign should be entirely scientific, planned, and results-oriented. He emphasized the importance of micro-planning as the foundation of the campaign, ensuring effective implementation of all micro-plans at both rural and urban levels.

The Chief Minister stressed the need for high-quality saplings and their availability, directing all departments to procure free, high-quality saplings from the forest department's nurseries. The meeting revealed that there are currently 1,935 departmental nurseries in the state, ensuring the availability of over 50 million saplings, with 34 new nurseries established for this purpose. Nurseries from horticulture, sericulture, and the private sector have also been included in this initiative.

He highlighted that ensuring the protection and survival of the planted saplings should be a top priority. Modern technology should be utilized for continuous monitoring. The meeting noted that tree planting is being monitored through digital platforms such as the 'Haritima' app, GIS mapping, QR code-based tracking, and plantation monitoring systems. A special survey in 2025 recorded an 80% survival rate for the saplings planted by the forest department.

The Chief Minister advocated for establishing forests or gardens in memory of martyrs, freedom fighters, and other heroes, and urged planting along riverbanks and highways. He also emphasized the importance of planting Ramayana-era trees in Ayodhya this year.

He instructed all departments to prepare detailed action plans by May 30 and ensure tree planting according to the scheduled timeline. He called for active participation from public representatives, NGOs, educational institutions, and citizens to make this campaign successful.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister was presented with a certificate declaring 'Shekha Lake Bird Sanctuary, Aligarh' as a Ramsar site by the Forest and Environment Department. It is noteworthy that Uttar Pradesh has designated a total of 12 Ramsar sites, covering an area of 38,992.25 hectares. The Shekha Lake Bird Sanctuary, at 40.309 hectares, is the smallest Ramsar site in the state, notified as a bird sanctuary in 2016.