Kashmiri poet and activist records Chinar trees he has planted
Zareef Ahmad Zareef maintains a diary of tree locations to preserve the Valley's landscape.
Veteran Kashmiri poet, satirist, and environmental activist Zareef Ahmad Zareef is documenting the Chinar trees he has planted over several years, according to a Deccan Herald report. Zareef maintains a diary that records the specific dates and locations of these trees to trace a legacy he hopes will outlive him.
Zareef said that seeing the trees he planted grow provides him with a sense of comfort. He uses tree planting to question what he perceives as a decline in the societal instinct to protect the environment.
The activist noted that older generations practiced conservation despite lacking formal environmental education. He contrasted this inherited knowledge with the classroom-based environmental awareness of the current generation.
His concerns coincide with urban changes in Srinagar. A study in the journal City and Built Environment found that built-up areas grew by more than 83.8 sq km between 1992 and 2024, while agricultural land saw a net decline of 76.4 sq km.
Zareef has campaigned for tree protection for decades. In 1984, he and activist Bansi Parmu protested the felling of two Chinars near Srinagar's Abdullah Bridge, which helped form the Bouine Bachao Committee.
The National Green Tribunal also addressed tree protection in May 2025 regarding 234 trees marked for auction at Srinagar's Amar Singh College. A forest officer told the tribunal that while the trees were valued and marked, felling permission had not been granted.