The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has undertaken a seven month long project of conducting a Tree Census of all trees in the Vasai-Virar region. Terracon Ecotech Pvt Ltd has been appointed to carry out the survey of trees. The agency will record the species, height age and health of the trees. There are over five lakh trees in the region and those on both private and government land will be counted. The agency will look for the local and botanical names of the trees. An amount of Rs 55 lakhs has been earmarked by the municipality for the tree census.

The decision to survey and identify different types of trees was first mooted in May 2011. It was given the civic general body sanction in February 2012. On January 3, this year the standing committee finally approved the agency for carrying out the survey. The survey is likely to be completed in the first week of July. The agency will also map details of mangroves and identify the green zones in the region. Areas which need more trees will also be identified and new trees will be planted by the municipality. This will be the first tree census to be undertaken by the municipality since its formation in July 2009.