Common dryland trees of Karnataka

Publication details: First Published in 2012 by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and The Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur PO, Bangalore-560064, Karnataka, India.

The book ‘Common dryland trees of Karnataka’ is a handbook of common farmland tree species, and their place in the semi arid agricultural-rural landscape of Karnataka. The Kannada–English bilingual guide describes 83 species—77 native and 6 exotic—belonging to 35 different families. It outlines the biology, ecology and varied uses of these trees. The authors have selected scientific illustrations and text that even those from non-science streams would find easy to use. Some of the common fruit-bearing trees like mango and coconut are well known and are not included here.

The book resulted from ATREE’s conservation and livelihoods work in Kanakapura. Through a process of reciprocal learning, the Kanakapura team learned to appreciate local perspectives on tree biodiversity. One of the questions was: why do farmers value and retain certain trees and fell others? The team felt that a book like this would help document this knowledge of native tree species and their use. It is hoped that being better informed about trees will generate an interest in their conservation and widespread planting, and application in agriculture, eco-restoration and landscaping in particular.

Above for information.