Tree Shifting Along Expanding Roads: A Practical Approach from Bihar’s Experience
As roads expand and undergo reconstruction, roadside trees often face the axe. For decades, planning tended to prioritise space for pavement and lanes, with little regard for preserving mature roadside trees. Replacing old trees with new saplings was the common remedy, and even when replanting was mandated, it rarely compensated for the loss of established trees. The result was that many roadside trees failed to reach maturity, depriving communities of shade, ecosystem services, and the aesthetic and environmental benefits that mature trees provide. Recent shifts in practice, however, offer a promising alternative: shifting mature roadside trees rather than removing them. Over the past two to three years, several projects in Bihar have demonstrated that careful tree shifting can preserve most mature trees, support healthy regrowth, and deliver long-term benefits to road safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity.
Case Studies from Bihar
Muzaffarpur District’s Turki-Saraiya Road widening provides a telling example. During widening work, there was a need to clear space along the road corridor, yet the approach was to shift mature roadside trees rather than felled them. Two years later, the outcome was encouraging: a high rate of tree survival with robust growth, suggesting that the approach helped maintain tree canopy, moisture moderation, and shade along the widened road. The Bihar State Road Construction Department (RCD) was the implementing authority in this case. The key takeaway from this instance is clear: with careful planning, tree shifting can preserve the ecological and social value of mature trees even when space must be created through widening.
A second significant example comes from the National Highways 27 corridor, spanning from Muzaffarpur to Motihari, where NHAI undertook widening and reconstruction to accommodate additional lanes and safety measures. Here too, shifting mature trees along the roadside was employed to adapt to the expanded cross-section. The results, observed across multiple bridges and sections, showed good establishment and growth of the shifted trees, with preserved shade canopy and ecological benefits along the corridor. The National Highways Authority of India was the implementing authority in this project. The broader takeaway from this larger-scale highway effort is that tree-shifting strategies can be integrated into major infrastructure programs, aligning with sustainability goals and public expectations for greener roads.It is possible that similar shifting has occurred in many other places as well; I am writing about what I have personally observed.
The underlying rationale for tree shifting lies in understanding the biology and ecology of mature trees. Many mature trees have root systems that can be accommodated or gently pruned when space is provided and proper handling is used. Shifting employs specialized equipment and techniques designed to minimize root disturbance and maintain trunk integrity, which is crucial for long-term survival. By transplanting rather than felling, trees retain most of their root networks and microbial associations, leading to faster establishment and lower mortality compared to new plantings alone. Moreover, preserved canopies continue to provide shade, reduce heat islands, improve air quality, and support biodiversity along the corridor, contributing to microclimate stability and ecological connectivity. Beyond the environmental aspects, mature trees also carry social and aesthetic value; they contribute to local identity and community well-being, and their preservation strengthens the visual and cultural character of road corridors.
From an economic perspective, the initial cost of shifting can be higher than simple felling and replanting. However, long-term savings accrue from reduced replacement costs and the sustained provision of ecosystem services that mature trees offer, such as carbon sequestration, habitat connectivity, and micro-climate stabilization. Environmentally, preserving mature trees safeguards carbon stocks and ecological integrity, contributing to climate resilience along road networks. Socially, communities benefit from maintained shade, aesthetically pleasing corridors, and the cultural value attached to mature greenery, enhancing quality of life and potentially increasing nearby property values.
The experiences from Muzaffarpur and the NHAI corridors in Bihar demonstrate that mature roadside trees can be effectively preserved through strategic shifting during road widening and reconstruction. When properly planned and executed, tree shifting offers a win-win: maintaining ecological services and community value while enabling modern infrastructure to meet mobility needs. As infrastructure projects continue to expand, adopting and refining tree-preservation strategies like shifting can lead to more sustainable, resilient, and aesthetically pleasing road networks.
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