When a 100-Year-Old Peepal Was Cut Down, He Used a 50-Tonne Crane to Replant It. Now It’s Growing

In November 2022, when Bharat Sisodia and his team reached a site in Ahmedabad, they found a century-old peepal tree that had already been cut down. Only about six to seven feet of its trunk remained.

For a tree that had stood there for nearly 100 years, it seemed like the end. But Bharat wanted to find out whether its roots were still alive. If enough of the root system had survived, perhaps the tree could grow again.

What followed was an ambitious rescue. His team dug around the tree, brought in a 50-tonne crane and carefully moved what remained of it nearly two kilometres to another location.

There, they replanted it in a specially prepared pit and continued caring for it as it recovered.

The peepal has since reportedly begun showing new growth.

For Bharat, this was a reminder of something he has believed for years: planting a tree is only the beginning of the responsibility we have towards it.

Since 2014, he has been working on an idea he calls ‘plantenance’, a combination of planting and maintenance. It focuses on giving trees the care they need to survive and grow, whether they have just been planted or have been standing for decades.

At a time when roads, buildings and other infrastructure are reshaping our cities, his work raises an important question. When an old tree stands in the way of development, can we find a way to save it?

Speaking to The Better India, Bharat shares what went into rescuing the peepal, why moving a mature tree requires such careful planning, and what cities can do to protect the trees they already have.

Could a century-old tree survive after being cut down?

When Bharat and his team arrived at the site, their first concern was the tree’s roots.

A tree that has been cut back so severely cannot simply be lifted out of the ground and replanted with the expectation that it will survive. Its chances of recovery depend on how much of its living root system remains intact and whether it can cope with the disturbance of being moved.

The team began by digging a trench approximately six feet deep around the peepal. They then used water to soften the surrounding soil, making it easier to carefully free the roots.

Moving a tree of this size required heavy machinery, manpower and careful preparation.

A 50-tonne crane was brought in to lift the tree, which was then transported nearly two kilometres to its new location.

At the new site, the team had prepared a planting pit with soil treatments and nutrients to support the tree’s recovery. Once it was replanted, they continued looking after it.

That care was especially important because the move had placed the tree in unfamiliar ground.

Its roots would have to recover and establish themselves again so they could draw enough water and nutrients from the soil to support new growth.

Several factors could influence its recovery, including the tree’s condition before transplantation, the extent of damage to its roots and the weather in the weeks that followed.

For Bharat, getting the peepal safely into the ground was an important first step. The next challenge was helping it stay alive.

Why Bharat believes planting a tree is only the first step

Every year, tree-planting drives bring thousands of new saplings into our cities and neighbourhoods. But how many of those saplings are still alive a few months later?

A newly planted sapling needs regular watering, suitable soil, the right seasonal conditions and continued attention. Without that care, even a promising plantation drive can struggle to produce healthy, mature trees.

Bharat believes the same responsibility applies when an existing tree is moved.

He calls this approach ‘plantenance’, bringing planting and maintenance together so the focus remains on a tree’s long-term survival.

“An important part of plantenance is understanding what a tree needs after it has been planted or transplanted,” he explains.

Unlike moving an ordinary object from one location to another, transplanting a tree means disturbing a living root system that has spent years growing into its surroundings.

The recovery process can take weeks or months, depending on the tree’s condition and the weather.

According to Bharat, favourable monsoon conditions can help a transplanted tree recover. Its roots may need at least two months to begin rebuilding, although the actual time depends on how much of the original root system remains intact and the damage it has sustained.

Protecting the main root system is especially important.

If those roots are badly damaged during excavation or transportation, the tree may struggle to absorb the water and nutrients it needs.

This is why his team assesses the condition of each tree before deciding how to dig around it, lift it and transport it.

And because every tree is different, the same method cannot be applied to every rescue.

How far can an old tree be moved safely?

Finding a suitable new home for a mature tree requires just as much thought as moving it there.

When Bharat and his team plan a transplantation, they generally look for a site within the same region, preferably close to where the tree originally stood.

Depending on the circumstances, they may move a tree around 10 kilometres. In some cases, the distance can extend to 15 to 20 kilometres.

The aim is to find a location where the tree has a reasonable chance of adapting and growing again.

Keeping the move relatively local can help because the environmental conditions are likely to be more familiar.

The soil that travels with the tree’s roots also plays a role in transplantation, helping the root system retain some of its original growing environment.

“Understanding the environment is essential,” Bharat says.

The month, weather and temperature all need to be considered, along with the tree’s condition and the suitability of its new location.

A crane may make it possible to move a mature tree, but its future depends on what happens before and after the move.

The Ahmedabad peepal is one example of how Bharat’s team approaches a damaged tree. Another incident, involving a fallen banyan tree on Ahmedabad Airport Road, shows why he believes protecting trees must begin with the conditions in which they grow.

When concrete leaves a banyan tree struggling to grow

Banyan trees are known for their spreading branches and extensive root systems.

As they mature, aerial roots grow down from their branches towards the ground. Over time, some of these roots develop into additional supporting trunks, helping the tree spread and support its growing canopy.

But in cities, the space around a tree is often covered with concrete or other hard surfaces.

Bharat recalls a banyan tree that had fallen on Ahmedabad Airport Road.

When his team examined the site, they found that the cemented surroundings had restricted the development of its aerial roots.

The tree had been growing in an environment where the roots that could have helped support its weight had limited room to develop.

According to Bharat, his team eventually removed the fallen tree from the site, and he describes the operation as successful.

The incident highlighted a problem that extends well beyond one banyan tree.

“Compacted soil, sealed surfaces and inadequate space can affect root development. When the conditions that support a tree’s growth are compromised, its long-term stability and health may also be affected,” he shares.

For a mature tree, the space beneath and around the ground matters as much as the branches and leaves we see above it.

And once a tree becomes unstable or falls, rescuing it can require a much larger effort.

In Vasai, saving trees became a community effort

Bharat’s work has also taken him beyond Ahmedabad.

In Vasai, Maharashtra, he says his team helped relocate nearly 50 trees that were facing removal in connection with work by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The effort required machinery and manpower, along with the involvement of people living in the area.

Local residents and leaders participated in the work, and the team hired people from the community to help with the transplantation.

For Bharat, their involvement made an important difference.

“Community involvement is really important,” he says. “When we have to transport trees, we need people to help. Local residents can make a real difference.”

Moving a mature tree involves digging around its roots, carefully lifting it, arranging transportation, preparing the new site and ensuring that it receives the care it needs afterwards.

Having local people participate makes it possible for the community to contribute directly to protecting the trees around them.

It also reflects the thinking behind Bharat’s idea of plantenance: keeping trees alive is an ongoing responsibility that people can share.

Can a newly planted sapling replace a 100-year-old tree?

A mature tree has spent decades growing its roots and canopy.

In that time, it has become part of its surroundings, providing shade, supporting birds and other wildlife, and contributing to the biodiversity of the area.

Planting a new sapling is valuable, but that young tree will need years to grow and begin providing many of the same benefits.

Bharat also recognises that moving an old tree comes with its own limitations.

“Their ecological functions cannot be replicated immediately by planting a young sapling in their place. Equally, transplanting a mature tree does not automatically preserve all the ecological benefits it provided at its original location,” he adds.

The rescue of the Ahmedabad peepal offers an example of what may still be possible after a tree has suffered severe damage.

But Bharat does not believe that every felled tree can necessarily be saved. Much depends on its condition, the health of its roots and the care it receives during and after transplantation.

For India’s growing cities, the larger challenge lies in preventing mature trees from reaching that point.

Planning roads and buildings around existing trees, leaving enough room for roots to grow, providing suitable planting conditions and ensuring long-term maintenance can all help protect the greenery already present in our neighbourhoods.

The century-old peepal in Ahmedabad was given another chance after it had been cut down.

Its rescue leaves us with a question worth asking whenever an old tree stands in the path of development: could we give it the space and care it needs to keep growing right where it is?

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thebetterindia.com