Understand our ecology

Why native species?

The instinct is to respond with “let’s plant more trees”. It is usually where these conversations start, and also where they end too soon.

01

Species suited to your ecoregion tend to need less water and maintenance, because they’re already adapted to local rainfall and soil conditions: a meaningful consideration in a water-stressed city like Ahmedabad.

A dirt track curving away across a dry plain under a wide pale sky, bleached grass and bare ground on both sides and a low line of scrub along the far horizon. — Maahi Patel

02

Native species support dramatically more local wildlife. Local insects, birds, and other animals have co-evolved with native plants over long timescales, and depend on specific native species to complete their life cycles.

A herd of blackbuck spread across dry golden grassland, does and young among them and a horned male at the near left. One broad thorn tree stands behind them and a watchtower shows small in the haze beyond. — Maahi Patel

03

They anchor a genuine sense of place. A patch built around locally native species functions differently from a generic green space. It reflects the ecology actually native to Ahmedabad and Gujarat, not a landscaping template borrowed from elsewhere.

One broad tree standing alone on dry open ground, camels resting in its shade with their saddles and bundles set down beside them and a person in green and red at the trunk. Scrub and pale grass run to the horizon. — Photographer unknown

To know more about the native species: How do we know if a plant is native?