Tree walk at NGMA tomorrow

Botanist B S Chandrashekar will lead a guided tree walk in the National Gallery of Modern Art (Bengaluru) campus on Palace Road on August 16. The event is titled ‘ar-bo-re-tum’ and will give participants a basic understanding of the common and uncommon trees that grow on the 3-acre campus. 

“While most of the trees and plants growing on the campus are common, even those are getting harder to find in Bengaluru,” says Chandrashekar, who works at the Institute of Wood Science and Technology. The scientist will offer basic information and insight into the flora and fauna of the NGMA campus. “It is a small campus but it has a lot of trees on its premises. It is a lung space right in the centre of the city,” he shares. 

The campus is home to tamarind, jackfruit, jamun and sandalwood trees. “Most trees are 50-60 years old. The jamun tree is probably 60-70 years old, while the sandalwood trees are 20-30 years old,” he says, adding that people walk past these trees every day but are unaware of their significance.

Talking about the rising temperatures in Bengaluru, Chandrashekar notes that older areas of Bengaluru like Malleswaram and Sanjaynagar, witness lower temperatures, even in peak summer. But the temperatures are higher in newer areas, like Koramangala and HSR Layout, which have a larger number of highrises. “This is because the tall buildings block the hot air from rising. And concrete reflects heat, adding to the already soaring heat,” he explains.

On August 16, 4 pm, at NGMA Bengaluru, Palace Road. For details, look up ngmaindia.gov.in.