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To monitor and protect chinar trees from destruction due to urbanization and infrastructure projects, a geo-tagged digital identity system has been introduced.
Digital Tree Aadhaar: Each chinar tree is assigned a unique number, similar to the Aadhaar card. Information such as location, height, and health is tracked.
Metal cards with barcodes are attached to around 10,000 trees, allowing tourists to scan and learn about the tree’s age and health.
The J&K Forest Research Institute (JKFRI) started a chinar census in 2021.
It found that the number of chinar trees in Kashmir is declining due to factors like highway expansion.
Around 28,560 chinar trees have been geo-tagged, including newly planted trees, using Geographic Information System (GIS) and QR code-enabled surveys.
The initiative will eventually include chinar trees in Jammu's Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal Valley.
Ganderbal district has the highest number of chinar trees, including the world's third-largest chinar with a girth of 74 feet.
Chinar trees (Platanus orientalis) grow up to 30 meters tall and can have a girth of 10-15 meters at the base.
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