Tree Care Standards — Demai Greens

Bark protects the living tissues that carry water and nutrients through the tree. When damaged in a ring — by tight wires, ropes, decorative lighting, or tree guards left too long — the transport system is interrupted. This is called girdling. Even partial damage weakens a tree for years before it shows on the surface.

The opposite of care is not only neglect. It is also over-intervention. Too much water, too much fertiliser, too much pruning — all become forms of harm. A wise caretaker is not the person who does the most. It is the person who does what is needed.

How trees actually fail — a diagnostic.

Buried root flareThe neck of the tree, buried under added soil. The root flare must be visible above soil level. "You tried to hold its neck and called it support."

Mulch volcanoMulch piled against the trunk traps moisture, causes rot, and invites pests. The mulch ring should be donut-shaped — around the tree, not touching the stem.

Shallow wateringDaily surface wetting keeps roots near the surface — vulnerable to heat and drought. Deep, infrequent watering is always preferred. "Every morning a mug at the trunk. Six inches away — dry soil."

ToppingRemoving the crown forces the tree into emergency regrowth using stored energy. The vigorous flush of shoots fools the eye — the tree is spending reserves, not gaining strength.

Root zone pavingCompaction from paving, parking, or construction reduces pore space and kills fine roots. Fine roots decline for years before the canopy shows damage.

Girdling wiresTree guards, ties, decorative lighting, and signs left attached to bark for more than one season. The damage is internal and invisible until the tree begins to decline.

Flush pruning cutsCuts made flush with the trunk remove the branch collar — the tree's natural wound-closure zone. All cuts must be made just outside the collar, never flush.

Wrong species, wrong siteA large canopy tree in a small pit near a wall. A water-loving species on a dry site. A sacred Banyan beside a drain. The species must fit the place from day one.

Standards we share openly.

These standards are shared freely — because the most important work we can do for Gujarat's urban trees is to reduce the harm already being done to them, quietly, every day.

Tree Protection Zones

Protecting roots during construction

The root protection zone of a mature tree extends well beyond its canopy drip line. Any excavation, material storage, vehicle parking, or concrete work within this zone can cause irreversible damage. Protect the zone before work begins — not after.

Pruning Standards

Cutting correctly

Prune only with a clear purpose: removing dead wood, improving structure, reducing hazard, or allowing light. Every cut just outside the branch collar. No flush cuts. No stubs. No topping. No reduction cuts during the establishment period.

Contractor Guidelines

What to specify — and prohibit

Any maintenance contract should explicitly prohibit: topping, flush cuts, girdling ties, mulch against the trunk, soil added over root flares, and chemical application without diagnosis. Specify instead: branch collar cuts, donut mulching, drip irrigation, seasonal soil checks.

Tree Register Protocol

The medical history of a living asset

Every tree in a managed landscape deserves a record: species (local name, English name, botanical name), location, planting date, size, health status, maintenance history, and next scheduled action. Over time, the register reveals patterns that no single season can.

"Saying a tree is sacred is meaningless if its roots are cemented. True reverence is correct action."