The conundrum around conocarpus once again reminds India about the need for a more robust legal framework

In Telangana, conocarpus recently gained attention when the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly made remarks against its viability in March, 2025. The Speaker vouched for its removal citing its adverse effect. 

Votaries of greenery, not merely in this case, but in general, feel such acts malign the tree and term it as a conspiracy to monetise tree removal and encourage plantation to generate revenue. 

Interestingly, conocarpus is not native to India. 

It was brought from Africa to Gulf countries and from there it travelled to India. Its persistent greenery even during summer months has probably led to its popularity in plantation drives, especially alongside roads and highways. Authorities in India criticised for their cosmetic tree plantation drive felt that this tree vindicates their efforts as it grows in difficult conditions. 

Tree plantation drives in India have always faced shortage of funds for nurturing saplings into trees, maintenance and protection from foraging animals, vandalism and the rigours of nature. In this scenario conocarpus became a saviour. 

With their rapid expansion in tree plantation drives across India and in most states, conocarpus trees started standing out. 

Thus, its popularity is also a factor for its denouement. There are no scientific studies about its impact as yet. But there are some observations. 

These observations majorly point out that they are undoubtedly green, but their ‘utility’ is no more. 

The ecological services of these trees have been called out. People point out that these trees do not attract birds, which is a good indicator of its location in the local biodiversity. Pollen from these trees is supposedly harmful for respiratory functions. 

Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are accustomed to these trees due to plantation drives.

A circular issued on September 26, 2023, by Gujarat prohibits the plantation and seeding of the invasive Conocarpus in forest areas, nurseries, as well as non-forest areas. 

War against Conocarpus 

The circular highlights the detrimental impact of the exotic tree’s roots on telecommunication cables, drains and freshwater pipelines, posing a risk to infrastructure. Furthermore, it draws attention to the adverse effects of the species’ pollen, which can lead to colds, coughs, asthma and allergies among individuals, particularly during winter. 

There are two species of Conocarpus (buttonwood) trees, with several varieties and hybrids — Conocarpus erectus, which is more widely used in India, is native to South America.

Usually, this should be declared as an ‘alien species’ by the Government of India. 

In India, the declaration of alien species as invasive is managed under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (amended in 2022), which defines invasive alien species as non-native species posing a threat to local wildlife or habitats. 

However, there is no specific legal framework exclusively for dealing with invasive species in India. This lack of a dedicated legal framework is a significant gap, as it hinders effective management and control of invasive species.

India has numerous invasive alien plant species (IAPS), which seriously impact biodiversity, ecosystem services, and economic development. 

Although several thousands of non-indigenous introduced species are reported from India, the most conservative estimates report 173 invasive plants and 157 invasive animals. 

Eucalyptus trees, also known as gum trees, nilgiri trees, or safeda, are considered invasive species in India due to their negative ecological impacts.

Lantana camara, an invasive alien species in India, was introduced as an ornamental garden plant in the early 19th century and has since spread across tropical and subtropical regions of the country. 

It has invaded more than 1,30,000 km² of area in India, which is about the size of Tamil Nadu. Lantana has invaded more than 40 per cent of India’s tiger habitats, threatening them through a causal chain that ultimately depletes the tiger’s prey base. The Shivalik hills, central India, and the southern Western Ghats are the worst hit by its invasion. 

Lantana’s dense growth reduces the visibility inside forests and affects the livelihoods of forest-dependent tribal communities. It competes with native plants for space and resources, altering the nutrient cycle in the soil and suppressing native vegetation.

Parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as Congress grass in India, is an invasive alien species that entered India accidentally in the 1950s, likely through contaminated wheat imports from the United States under the PL 480 (Food for Peace) programme. This weed has since spread widely across the country, covering approximately 35 million hectares of land, including the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

The African catfish and suckermouth catfishes (Pterygoplichthys species) are among the invasive species in India, and their presence has been linked to the degradation of natural water bodies and rivers. Similarly, the red-eared slider, a North American turtle, has been introduced into Indian water bodies, where it competes with native species for food and habitat.

What qualifies as an invasion?

Legally, the declaration of a species as invasive involves assessing whether the species is non-native and whether it poses a threat to native ecosystems, habitats or species. 

Scientists and policymakers must consider factors such as the species’ ability to outcompete native species for resources, its impact on biodiversity, and its potential economic costs.

There are initiatives such as the National Action Plan on Invasive Alien Species (NAPINVAS) and the National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC), which focus on preventing new introductions, early detection, control, and management of established invasive species. 

Did conocarpus pass through these initiatives? If not, why not? Who is accountable? Conocarpus being alien can turn out to be an invasive species. Its role and services within the ecological balance of India has to be scientifically assessed. In any case, tree plantation drives need to be rid of monocultures, single species plantations. Even social forestry initiatives should not encourage monocultures.

It is becoming apparent that there is a need for periodic revision and updating of the list of invasive alien species, as a species may be invasive in one region but not in another. Additionally, there is a call for better monitoring tools and stricter enforcement of environmental laws to manage the spread of invasive species. Participation of people, especially scientists, has to be integrated into identification and removal of alien invasive species. Visible, tangible actions and strict punishment will help in preventing individuals from bringing alien species into India, with proper scientific assessment.

At the international level, the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in October-November, 2024, in Cali, Colombia, addressed invasive alien species as one of the top five direct drivers of biodiversity loss. 

Delegates agreed on guidelines for managing invasive alien species, including issues related to e-commerce, multi-criteria analysis methodologies, and cross-border trade regulations. The conference also proposed new databases and enhanced coordination with e-commerce platforms to address gaps in managing invasive species risks.

While India has mechanisms in place to manage invasive alien species, they remain on paper with field application and enforcement being nil.

Even the Forest Department personnel are not aware of such provisions. Officials organising Vana Mahotsavs usually are concerned about pomp and publicity. Their commitment to increasing tree diversity and biodiversity is often zero. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024-30) mentions management of Invasive Alien Species (IAN) as Target 6, names two to three institutions as responsible agencies, without laying out a plan of action.

The conundrum around conocarpus once again reminds India about the need for a more robust legal framework, intertwined with a scientific process of assessment and continuous monitoring to effectively declare, eliminate and manage alien species. Forest Departments, of all States in India, have to educate themselves and design tree plantation drives and campaigns that do not include alien species, remove invasive species, promote diversity in tree species and encourage knowledge on tree species.

Views expressed are authors' own and do not reflect those of Down To Earth