Take a stroll, and meet the city's speaking trees

When David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary, and an explorer in Africa, visited Mumbai around 100 years ago, he planted a Mahogany tree near today’s Lion Gate but nobody knows about its historical importance.

This is not the only tree in the city, which has such unique history behind it. The Pride of Burma, a tree from Burma planted here by the British, has adopted Indian conditions and still stands tall on the Fort campus of Mumbai university.

“If you take a stroll from Churchgate station to Hornbill house you will see at least seven spots where you will find some of the oldest trees with such interesting stories behind them,’’ said Dr Ashok Kothari, honorary secretary of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

Atul Sathe, public relations officer, BNHS, said that, when it comes to trees and nature, people always look at national parks or jungles.

“But nobody knows about this treasure hidden in the city. There’s a need to conserve and protect these trees,’’ he said.
Kothari has been holding tree walks in different parts of the city to identify such interesting trees. ‘’We walk from Bandra to Santa Cruz, which we call Baobab to Baobab walk. There are trees of African variety in Parsi colony and some interesting tree cover around Peddar road,’’ he informed.