NEWS – A recent report on the impact of planting invasives on lakes in Bengaluru Urban has revealed that a significant portion of lake areas is covered with trees and shrubs.

REPORT FINDINGS

1. Forest Cover Increase
   • The Forest Department has actively planted exotic and invasive tree species across lake beds since the 1990s.
   • As a result, there has been an increase in forest cover, with 49% of lake areas covered with trees and shrubs.
   • Specific areas like Anekal Taluk experience even higher coverage at 57%.
2. Transition to Woodlands
   • In some instances, entire lakes have transitioned into forest-type woodlands or tree parks.
3. Riparian Buffer Zones
   • Trees are typically planted around the peripheries of lakes, serving as riparian buffer zones.
   • They play crucial roles in maintaining lake ecosystem health by filtering pollutants, stabilizing shoreline soils, providing habitat for diverse wildlife, etc.

CHALLENGES WITH EXTENSIVE TREE PLANTING

1. Problematic Species
   • When invasive and exotic species are extensively planted directly on lake beds, they pose significant problems.
2. Spatial Analysis
   • Using ESA Copernicus Sentinel 2 imagery, the team assessed mature tree coverage across lakes in the Hesaraghatta Lake catchment.
   • Approximately 2,917 acres out of the total 11,961 acres of lake area were covered with vegetation, representing 24% of the lake area as of 2023.
   • Nearly half (47%) of the lake area in the Hesaraghatta Lake catchment is covered by trees and shrubs.

REGIONAL COVERAGE

• Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapura: Around 40% and 35% of lake areas consist of tree and shrub cover, respectively.
• Kolar District: 38% of lake areas feature tree and shrub coverage.
• Tumakuru District: Tree and shrub cover accounts for 38% of lake areas in the district.