We asked a few our teachers in Kerala and Meghalaya about how the lockdown affected their tree-watching. Below are their responses.

Ms Annamma T Baby, MTSSUP School, Manjadi, Thiruvalla
"This year is really shocking and the current pandemic has taught us a lesson in every manner. My season watch group faced difficulties in monitoring our regular trees.

As a result of the lockdown, I had to move to Konny, my native place which is 55 km away from Thiruvalla. Since, all my season watch trees were in Thiruvalla (some in the school campus and others on the way to the school), I felt very sad at the prospect of being so far away and at not being able to see them regularly. I felt that I lost everything.

Finally one day, I thought of taking a risk and I hired an auto-rikshaw to go to Thriuvalla. I took the effort to observe all the trees. I notices that some of the trees appeared very gloomy as their leaves had turned yellowish. I couldn’t find any nests in the trees either. Some of the trees in my school campus had heaps of soil covering the ground portion.

I spoke to some of my students and I was relieved to find that they too observed their trees from the terrace of their homes during the lockdown and tried their best to watch their trees. In the end I feel it has been a new and a wonderful experience!"

Mr Prabhakaran P V, GHSS Mathamangalam, Kannur
"Imposition of triple lockdown in my village in Kannur in the wake of COVID 19 didn't prevent me from watching the trees or birds around my homestead. I have actively participated in the Lockdown Birding Challenge organised by Bird Count India. I could hear the songs of a lot birds which were collecting the nectar from Gulmohur and Teak trees at my homestead during the lockdown period. I have participated in the Season watch Home Photography Challenge 1& 2 and took the photos of trees and animals through my windows.
I could observe a lot of trees during my journey to the Centres for Higher Secondary Examination and  Valuation which were held during the lockdown period. Selling of flowers of Indian laburnum (Cassia fistula) in the markets and shops on the eve of Vishu in April is a very big business in Kannur for the last few years. Because of the lockdown this year, flowers on these trees near the roadsides could be seen even after the Vishu. So more fruits are expected from laburnum trees this year. I have also observed the mangrove trees in my village and prepared a mangrove nursery for the free distribution of propagules and saplings to the members of SEED as part of the Mangrove Afforestation Program."

Mr Saroop KV, Veeravanchery LP School, Kozhikode
"Due to more free time during the lockdown, I was able to observe many more trees. My village home has many trees and so I could watch trees safely during this time. I observed that due to the summer rains, most trees had fresh green leaves. Also, there was not much noise due to vehicles etc, and so I was able to enjoy nature’s silence as well as the song of birds among the trees. In my place this year, the Mango trees had few fruits but the Jackfruit trees had good fruiting."

Mr Resly Roy, Pariong Presbytery HS School, West Khasi Hills
"Since the beginning of the lockdown period, I have been unable to go to school. Therefore, watching trees or taking regular observations has not been not possible. I don't know when the schools will reopen. During this period, I have managed to observe only a few trees. Hoping that the school reopens and I can watch more trees."