Our intimate connection to trees isn't just about clean air, but a lot more

Do we have the imagination any longer, especially in times as noisy as these, to listen to trees?

The recent conversations set off by the Central government’s proposal to fell nearly 17,000 trees in the capital to make room for a housing project, have catapulted trees – usually peripheral to dominant public discussions – to the centre of national discourse. Interestingly, what has sparked debate is the unusual sight of protesting citizens hugging trees in the heart of the National Capital Region, a mesh of concrete buildings and elaborate infrastructure. Confronted with the spontaneous protests, the government has put the project on hold for the time being.

The ongoing conversations about the need to preserve trees have