300 crore trees to be planted in Maharashtra: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra will undertake an ambitious programme to plant 300 crore trees to increase its green cover.

"Development works and tree conservation are not mutually opposed. Sustainable development through scientific tree conservation alongside development work. This is the policy and goal of the state government; we have embarked on a mission to plant 300 crore trees,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday. 

Fadnavis also referred to the announcement in State Budget 2026-27 presented last week, in which he said: “As per the National Forest Policy 1988, at least 33 per cent of the state's total geographic area is expected to be under forest and tree cover. A campaign to plant 300 crore trees will be undertaken based on the triple principle of environment conservation, fighting climate change and rural employment generation to increase the green area in Maharashtra.”

Speaking at the second edition of International Arboriculture Conference, titled VrikshVardhan-2026 , with a theme of  'Growing Cities, Greener Canopies’ — which is hosted  by the Amenity Tree Care Association (ATCA) and the Nanaji Deshmukh Pratishthan (NDP), Fadnavis expressed the commitment of the State. 

Delivering the opening remarks, NDF President Sanjay Pandey said: "The presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Arboriculture Conference is a golden opportunity. Therefore, conservation of existing trees through the CSR route, inclusion of Arboriculture Impact Assessment reports in all infrastructure development projects, conservation of Heritage Trees in every district, and establishment of tree laboratories in every district must be pursued.”

Responding to these demands, Fadnavis stated that the feasibility and utility of all three demands — conservation of trees through CSR funds, inclusion of Arboriculture Impact Assessment reports in infrastructure development, and conservation of Heritage Trees and establishment of tree laboratories in every district — have been duly noted and will be incorporated into state policy.

"To bring forest cover to 33 percent, the success rate of replanting trees displaced due to projects has increased from 30 percent to 80 percent,” he said. 

The Chief Minister said that Vriksha Ayurveda is India's traditional system of arboriculture. 

"Although our traditional knowledge has faded over time, through modern arboriculture we are making every effort to achieve sustainable development and combat the crisis of climate change,” he said. 

"We will certainly march forward in the direction of tree conservation and sustainable development with the help of new technology," the Chief Minister said with confidence. "The government will certainly deliberate on the findings and studies of the Arboriculture Conference. I congratulate all participants and assure you I will carry this sustainable thinking forward," Fadnavis said.