The latest decision of the Andhra Pradesh government to ban Conocarpus trees, a widely grown exotic avenue plantation, because of their possible adverse effect on the environment and human health, has been caught in a legal wrangle.
The decision was challenged in the state high court.
Source: Hindustan Times
About Conocarpus tree:
It is a flowering plant belonging to the family of Combretaceae.
It is an invasive mangrove species.
Trees of this species flower in winter and spread pollen in nearby areas.
It has been used by various public authorities in India as landscaping for road medians, along roads, and in public gardens.
Countries in the Arabian Peninsula have used the plant to block sand from desert storms and to control pollution.
It is famous for its dark green leaves color throughout the year and withstands harsh environmental conditions such as high and low temperatures.
It is very adaptive and could grow even in areas with extreme salinity.
It absorbs more water from soil than other species and is a threat to groundwater.
It goes deep into the ground and grows too much to damage the communication cables, drainage lines and drinking water pipelines.
It is native to parts of North and South America, as well as parts of Africa.
Mangroves:
These are unique coastal ecosystems characterized by salt-tolerant trees, shrubs, and other vegetation that grow along the shorelines of tropical and subtropical regions.
These ecosystems are found in intertidal zones, where the land is periodically submerged by seawater, and they play a crucial role in coastal ecology and protection.
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