The Delhi government has declared around 670 hectares of the Central Ridge — one of the Capital’s most important ecological zones — as a “reserved forest”. Authorities have also laid out plans to develop special vans (forests) and plant “native” tree species there.The 864-hectare Central Ridge is a part of the larger Delhi Ridge system, an extension of the ancient Aravalli range. The 35-km Delhi Ridge is a fragmented forested zone that runs through the city and acts as its green lungs.The Central Ridge, however, was already a reserved forest, first notified in 1994 under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Much like what happens with Protected Areas under the Wildlife Protection Act, a ‘first’ notification is meant to be followed by a settlement of rights, after which a ‘second’ notification under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, puts a final seal on the matter.It has taken more than 30 years, but this second notification completes a process that needed to happen.What is cause for concern, however, is other aspects of the government’s plans for the Ridge.The anti-termite planThe Forest Department recently floated a tender requiring contractors to carry out “anti-termite treatment” when they’re planting.But using poisonous substances will kill not just termites but all the microorganisms and fungi that make up “living soil”. The greatest asset the Central Ridge possesses is that, in spite of all the obvious signs of degradation, its soil is still “alive”.Story continues below this adAlso in Explained | The significance of the Delhi Morphological RidgeThere are also questions about whether we need to battle termites at all. It’s true, of course, that termites seriously damage wood, books, clothes and even electric wires in our homes. But in nature, scientists and ecologists have come to realise that termites play a beneficial role, not just because they break down woody tissue and recycle dead matter. They are recognised as effective “ecosystem engineers” which aid nitrogen fixation and influence soil structure to retain more moisture, especially in drylands such as ours.There was a happy end to this story, because the Forest Department swiftly and laudably responded to criticism and issued a corrigendum to the tender, cancelling the use of toxic pesticides.Special forests and native treesThe Delhi Forest Department is planning the development of special forests, with names such as Tirthankara Van, Ritu Van, Rashi Van and Panchvati Van, in the Ridge.Depending on what is intended, creating these themed forests on the Ridge could constitute a violation of the Forest Conservation Act, especially if hardscapes (human-made constructions) are part of the plan.Story continues below this adThe main worry, however, is what the Forest Department will plant inside these vans.We have had more than a hundred years of failed reforestation of the Central Ridge, with planted trees dying as soon as irrigation is withdrawn. The only thing that succeeded — and its “success” is a big part of the problem — is South American vilayati keekar, because it prospered at the expense of all the other trees and shrubs that grow naturally on the Ridge, the ones that are best adapted to growing in dry, rocky conditions.It’s hard to understand the repeated failures because devising an appropriate list of suitable trees to plant on the Ridge is not that difficult.For trees to succeed on the Ridge, they need to be perfectly attuned to the precise conditions one finds in that landscape. It’s a matter of picking out all those plants — not just trees, but shrubs, lianas, herbs, grasses — that grow naturally in quartzitic soils in the northern Aravallis. Strictly “native” plants. The trouble is that the term “native plants” is seldom used or understood correctly.Story continues below this adThe Delhi government has also announced that “native and environmentally suitable tree species” such as neem, peepal, shisham, jamun, tamarind and mango will be planted on the Ridge.Is mango a “native” tree? It is if you mean that it’s found within the political boundaries of the country. But it’s not native to the Ridge ecosystem. One can only grow a mango tree on the Ridge by feeding it lots of water for as long as one wants it to live.From Western Disturbance to El Niño | The climate terms you’re hearing this summer, explainedThe Delhi government’s list of trees is a perfect illustration of the problem. They are all Indian trees, of course, but not one of them — with the possible exception of the peepal — is found growing naturally in the thin-soiled, rocky, arid ecosystem of the Ridge.Neem might just survive there because it’s so hardy. Shisham is native to the sub-Himalayan tract, where rivers rushing down from the mountains start to lose momentum and dump their load of silt, so they need lots of moisture and deep, porous soil. Jamuns are thirsty trees from moist jungles and survive in dry forests only along perennial streams. Tamarind is frost-prone, and the mango needs tons of water.Story continues below this adNone of these trees would do well on the Ridge.The word “native”, therefore, ought to be about the particularity of an ecosystem, not a nationality label.The Forest Research Institute has prepared a Working Plan for Delhi’s forests for the decade beginning 2026-27. The Working Plan, supposed to be the bedrock for the Delhi’s Forest Department’s work, does talk about planting for biodiversity and ecological restoration. But it also appears to view the Ridge as a timber plantation. Instead of detailing steps for ecological restoration, it shows a focus on aspects such as estimating the annual increment of timber.There are also problems with the Working Plan’s list of recommended species to plant on the Ridge.Story continues below this adNewsletterFollow our daily newsletter so you never miss anything important. On Wednesday, we answer readers' questions.SubscribeEven when the authorities get it right, they run into other problems. Four years ago, Delhi’s Forest Department created a fairly well-thought-out list of 42 suitable species. But when it came to actual planting operations on the Ridge, only four of the 11 species used were from the Forest Department’s list. Three species were, in fact, exotics.So, what went wrong? The Forest Department, like many government agencies, works through contractors who may procure cheaper saplings that do not always conform to the approved species list. In fact, the most commonly planted tree in the newly restored tract is a South American plant that is called ‘jungle jalebi’ in India because of its jalebi-like fruit. And because it has acquired a Hindi moniker, it’s easy for a rookie contractor to slip it in, thinking that it’s a native tree.There’s a lot more to good restoration practice than getting your species right, although that is a crucial starting point. The proposals for the new vans and a Miyawaki forest have nothing to do with ecological restoration. We probably have one good shot at recreating a thriving natural dry forest on the Ridge. It’s important not to jeopardise it.