In a bid to preserve the heritage chinar trees of Jammu & Kashmir, the Forest Department and JK Forest Research Institute have initiated a project to give each chinar tree its own “Aadhaar” identity. Elderly locals in Pulwama witnessed staff fixing QR-code plates on trees as geo-tagging goes live across regions, making monitoring easier and transparent.

In a bid to preserve the heritage chinar trees of Jammu & Kashmir, the Forest Department and JK Forest Research Institute have initiated a project to give each chinar tree its own “Aadhaar” identity. Elderly locals in Pulwama witnessed staff fixing QR-code plates on trees as geo-tagging goes live across regions, making monitoring easier and transparent. 

These trees many centuries old have cultural, historical, and environmental significance, serving as carbon sinks, anchors against soil erosion, and emblematic symbols of Kashmir’s natural beauty. The numbers are stark: once about 42,000 chinars in 1970, today estimates range between 17,000 and 34,000. 

Through QR plates linked to a GIS database, each tree will have ~25-35 data points recorded, including health parameters captured using ultrasonography tools. Early results suggest illegal felling has dropped since deployment. The target is to geo-tag over 32,500 by March 2025; currently ~28,500 are done.

As climate change, urban expansion, pests, and neglect threaten these giants, the digital “Aadhaars” may well be the lifeline that ensures Kashmir’s chinar legacy endures.