Subhash Park's trees save Kochi lakhs a year, finds Cusat study
Kochi: The 339 trees at Subhash Bose Park in the heart of Kochi, play a crucial role in improving air quality by removing nearly 124.8kg of air pollutants annually. Without these trees, residents would require air purifiers in at least 150 homes, according to a recent study.
While air purifiers can remove allergens, dust, pollen, smoke, and other pollutants, they are expensive and require regular maintenance — unlike trees, which provide long-term environmental benefits for ages.
The study, titled "A Comprehensive Study of Subhash Park and Projected Benefits for Queen's Way Urban Expansion," was conducted by the School of Environmental Studies at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) in collaboration with the Nansen (India).
It stresses the importance of enhancing green cover in the few remaining open spaces in Kochi. The study quantifies the many environmental benefits trees offer, including air purification, carbon sequestration, stormwater mitigation, energy savings, and health cost reduction.
According to the findings, residents in and around the park can save nearly Rs 3.74 lakh annually in healthcare costs due to improved air quality and lower exposure to pollutants.
The study also highlights how trees mitigate the urban heat island effect by cooling the surrounding area. This cooling reduces the energy needed for indoor air conditioning in nearby buildings, especially during summer months. The park's canopy helps nearby buildings save about 13,400 kWh of electricity annually by lowering indoor temperatures.
In addition, the park's dense tree cover acts as a natural barrier during heavy rainfall, reducing runoff and helping prevent urban flooding.
This benefit translates to savings of nearly Rs 1.80 lakh per year in drainage infrastructure costs for the local authorities.
"Given the multifaceted benefits, including public health, carbon sequestration, flood risk mitigation and groundwater recharge as pointed out in the study, urban planners must prioritise the integration of green cover in high-risk zones like hospitals, clinics, and schools. Green corridors and trees in these zones can strengthen health resilience, especially in climate-vulnerable regions like Kochi, which is facing intense heat in summer and flooding in monsoon," said Sravan Shaji, the author of the study.
Dr Giby Kuriakose, assistant professor of Botany department in SH college Thevara said trees play multiple roles for ecosystem. "Trees reduce pollutants and there are a lot of native species the leaves of which even traps dust in the air. In the case of Subash Park, authorities can utilise it to raise native species to create awareness on it." The study was conducted jointly by Sravan Shaji of Cusat and Dr Bindu G of Nansen Environmental Research Centre.
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