As part of Jane's Walk 2026, on 17th May 2026 Parisar organised a neighbourhood walk in Aundh to explore something we often take for granted: trees. While trees are usually seen as a backdrop to city life, this walk looked at them as an essential part of the infrastructure that makes our streets more comfortable, healthier, and more enjoyable to use.
The walk was divided into three parts, each looking at urban trees from a different perspective:
- The first part was led by Parisar's Urban Design team. As participants walked along the DP Road, the team highlighted how trees contribute to the experience of walking through a city. Discussions focused on how shade, street width, footpaths, and tree cover work together to create comfortable public spaces. Using the street itself as an example, participants explored how trees can be integrated into urban street design and why they are as important as many of the other elements we consider essential infrastructure.
- The second part of the walk was led by Sathya Natarajan, who spoke about tree governance in Pune. Participants learned about the processes involved in tree cutting, pruning, and transplantation, and the role of the Tree Authority in overseeing these decisions. The discussion also focused on what members of the public can do to stay informed, participate in the process, and help ensure that decisions around trees remain transparent and accountable.
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- The final part of the walk focused on action. Participants were introduced to tools that can be used to document and map trees in their neighbourhoods. Through a hands-on exercise, they learned how citizen-generated data can help build a better understanding of Pune's urban tree cover and support efforts to protect it.
What made the walk particularly interesting was that it connected these three themes together. Participants were able to see how trees shape the design of streets, understand how decisions about them are made, and learn practical ways to get involved themselves. By the end of the morning, many participants said they would never look at the streets they use every day in quite the same way. What had started as a simple walk became a conversation about public space, ecology, governance, and the role citizens can play in shaping the future of their city.
Read here a detailed report of the walk.