Visitors at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam will now be able to identify the vast foliage cover on the campus by simply scanning the QR codes affixed on the trees.
Based on a botanical survey conducted by the Advanced Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (ACESSD) in collaboration with the Tropical Institute for Ecological Studies (TIES), as many as 156 types of trees were identified from the 3,731 trees on the campus. Each of these trees has been provided with a board displaying its name in Malayalam and English, along with its scientific name, and most notably, a QR code.
Scan the QR code with your smart phone and it opens access to a dedicated webpage containing a photo of the tree, its name in both English and Malayalam, the scientific name, and a brief description.
MGU Vice Chancellor C.T. Aravindakumar inaugurated the new system at a brief function held here the other day. The initiative was also complemented by the unveiling of a book “Trees of Mahatma Gandhi University Campus”, which provides providing comprehensive details about all the trees in the campus, including their locations.
