Environmentalists urge halt and removal of Conocarpus trees from Coimbatore lake bunds

The planting of Conocarpus trees on the bunds of each 8 lakes redeveloped by the Coimbatore Corporation nether the Smart Cities Mission has raised interest among conservationists.

Independent researcher Prasath Selvaraj said the fast-growing ornamental taxon whitethorn not beryllium suitable for wetlands and water ecosystems contempt its wide usage successful municipality landscaping. According to him, Conocarpus develops an extended basal strategy that competes for groundwater and alters ungraded characteristics. “Shoreline ecosystems trust connected autochthonal reeds and shrubs to enactment h2o filtration, ungraded stableness and biodiversity. When they are replaced by a non-native species, it tin gradually disturb vertebrate movement, butterfly enactment and the trophic interactions that nexus insects, plants and birds,” helium said.

An environmentalist associated with water conservation efforts said the contented extends beyond ecological suitability. The environmentalist pointed retired that during the flowering play the histrion releases ample amounts of pollen, which tin dispersed crossed surrounding areas and impact radical surviving and moving nearby. The pollen has been associated with respiratory issues including allergies, asthma and communal cold-like symptoms successful regions wherever the taxon was planted connected a ample scale.

A botanist seeking anonymity said Conocarpus was not categorised arsenic an invasive taxon but required location-specific regulation. He noted that the Tamil Nadu authorities issued an bid successful January this twelvemonth discouraging its planting adjacent quality habitations owed to biology and wellness concerns. He said the Corporation should debar planting the taxon successful aboriginal and region the ones already introduced adjacent lakes.

Officials of the Coimbatore Corporation said a fewer exotic taxon were planted during earlier water redevelopment works, but clarified that nary caller exotic taxon are being introduced on water bunds and riverbeds now.