Heightened cyclone activity in West Bengal over the past few years has wreaked havoc in the historic Shibpur Botanical Garden, uprooting thousands of trees, some of which are centuries old. However, garden officials are working to find techniques to save these giants – they say that nearly 400 are already re-established.
Cyclones Amphan (in May 2020), Yaas (May 2021) and Remal (May 2024), had ripped more than 2100 big trees from the ground of Asia’s largest botanical garden of 109 hectares. As per data available with The Indian Express, 2000 plants were uprooted in Cyclone Amphan, 70 during Yaas and 100 during Remal.
“Shallow roots due to West Bengal’s high water table leave trees vulnerable during cyclones,” said Dr. Devendra Singh, Joint Director of Shibipur’s Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden. Officials are now considering adding more soil to the surface, which would raise the ground level by 2-3 feet. This could significantly reduce uprooting during future storms, they believe.
They feel that while medical emergencies often receive a flurry of activity to save lives, the plight of trees uprooted by storms can go unnoticed.
A massive, 200-century old Kalptalu tree, also known as the wish tree, once stood over 200 feet tall. It had been uprooted during Cyclone Amphan. “Our emotions were attached to it,” said Singh, “so we were sure we had to get it back.”
This determination led to a remarkable rescue mission. “We engaged metro cranes to erect it,” Singh explained. “Then we cut off parts of the canopy, reducing its weight, so that it gets re-established.” The tree’s high water-holding capacity further aided its survival. Now, the tree is 40 feet tall, and it is growing slowly.
The garden’s iconic Banyan tree had also suffered major losses during Cyclone Amphan, with over an acre of its massive canopy destroyed.
“Two major sections of the Banyan tree were heavily impacted. At least one acre of the Banyan tree’s 4.3-acre expanse was completely devastated,” said an official.
Cyclone Amphan became a turning point for Botanical Garden scientists. “We started studying how to re-establish uprooted plants,” Singh said. “We learned the chances of success and the techniques to use.”
Regularly trimming plants and strategically balancing tilted trees are now standard practices at the garden. After each storm, a dedicated team surveys plant conditions and assesses the feasibility of re-establishing them. “These efforts aim to minimize damage before cyclones strike,” said an official.
“The increasing frequency of cyclones is a cause for concern and hence we are urging proactive measures to mitigate the damage,” said Singh. “We are urging for proactive measures..we’re adapting,” he said.
The team’s lessons had proved invaluable for Cyclone Remal. “From 6 in the morning to evening, we had teams keeping a close watch on the trees. We engaged more manpower, JCB machines, and cranes to re-establish the plants as soon as possible,” the joint director said.
He said that the biggest challenge for the teams is to lift heavy trees without further damaging their roots. The solution: trimming branches and canopies. “We reduce the weight and rebuild,” says Singh. “Depending on the nature of the plant, we decide which ones need attention first.”
Following these methods, Singh’s teams tried to rebuild 70-80 of the 100 trees that were uprooted in Cyclone Remal. Fallen leaves are left on the ground to provide moisture for the soil. “There are plants here,” Singh asserted, “that only grow in areas with no pollution.”
The park, which houses very rare species of plants, is run under the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
A visitor of the garden, Nitu Sharma, praised the story of the trees, saying it is “a testament to human resilience and our deep connection to nature”.