Tree planting and care, Dinajpur
Trees along a road or at a school, fenced and watered for a year.
- 0/15 people
- About 30 hours
- 50
- points
About this task
Dinajpur in the north has fierce summers; roadside shade trees give walkers and farmers relief. Native trees along a road, in a school field or on a canal bank, each with a bamboo guard, and a year’s watering rota naming who waters which week. Planting is easy; keeping them alive is the work.
Why it matters
Town trees keep a street several degrees cooler in summer, hold the dust and shelter birds. But much of what is planted dies in the first year, for want of a fence and water.
What changes after
The trees stand, fenced; at least 80% alive after three months; the watering rota is on the wall.
Who can join
Anyone; for the watering rota, people who live close by and pupils are the most useful.
Step by step
0 of 4 steps doneHow to do it, in order.About 16 hours across all steps
- 1
Choose the spots and species
Spots with sun and space; native species such as neem, jarul, krishnachura, mango, jackfruit.
120 min
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet - 2
Dig and plant
A hole twice the size of the root ball, compost, and water the same day.
480 minচারা, কোদাল, সার
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet - 3
Fence
A bamboo guard round every sapling, against goats and cattle.
300 minবাঁশ, দড়ি
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet - 4
Watering rota
Who waters which week, for a year, on a list on the wall.
60 min
Not startedIn hand:Nobody yet
What you need
- Saplings · ১০০টি
- Bamboo guards · ১০০টি
When it counts as done
- The trees stand, fenced
- At least 80% alive after three months
Proof required
- Before photo
- After photo
- Receipt
Safety
Check for underground pipes and cables before digging. Gloves for the digging.
The full guide
What it takes, and how to do it
Never done this before? No matter. The cost, the timeline, who does what, whom to speak to, the day hour by hour, the risks and ready words to send are all here.
- About
- ৳20,000–50,400
- People
- 15
- Time in all
- 30 hours
- Age
- Any age
Best timeThe monsoon, June to August. The soil is wet, saplings take easily and need less watering. Government nurseries also have the most saplings then.
PermissionThe landowner's permission: the municipality, union council or roads department for roadsides; the head teacher for a school; the relevant office for a canal bank. Get it in writing.
What it costs
Prices differ by district and season; this is a 2026 estimate. Keep receipts and put them in the proof.
| What | How much | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Native saplings (3–4 ft)100Where: Forest Department nursery or local nursery | 100 | ৳30–150 |
| Bamboo guards (made up)100Where: Bamboo market or local craftsman | 100 | ৳120–250 |
| Compost or cow-dung manure200 kgWhere: Nursery or farm-supply shop | 200 kg | ৳10–20 |
| Nylon or jute rope1 lotWhere: Local market | 1 lot | ৳500–1,000 |
| Spades (free if borrowed)5Where: Hardware shop | 5 | ৳350–700 |
| Buckets or watering cans4Where: Local market | 4 | ৳150–350 |
| Watering rota sheet, laminated1Where: Print shop | 1 | ৳200–500 |
| Total (about) | ৳20,000–50,400 | |
Getting ready, step by step
3 weeks before
- Choose spots with sun, not under power lines, not over drains or pipes.
- Get the landowner's written permission.
- Ask the Forest Department nursery or upazila agriculture office for saplings.
7 days before
- Order the bamboo guards.
- Collect names for the watering rota: neighbours, shopkeepers, pupils.
- Peg each spot, 10–15 feet apart.
The day before
- Bring the saplings, keep them in shade, water them.
- If you can, dig the holes ahead (2 ft × 2 ft).
On the day
- Soil mixed with compost, sapling, water.
- A guard on every one.
- Put up the watering rota.
The week after and the months after
- Replace any dead sapling.
- After three months, count how many are alive.
Who does what
Lead1
Permission, saplings, coordinating the day.
Digging and planting team9
In groups of 3: hole, compost, sapling, water.
Guard team3
Sets the guards and ties them to stakes.
Watering rota keeper1
Makes the year's rota and checks weekly who watered.
Photos and count1
Before and after photos; list of each tree's number and species.
Whom to speak to first
Forest Department nursery or upazila agriculture office
- Why
- Saplings free or cheap, and advice on what grows where.
- How
- Visit 3 weeks ahead and apply, saying how many and which species.
Landowner: municipality, union council or head teacher
- Why
- Trees planted without permission may be cut later.
- How
- Apply in writing with a sketch of the spots.
Neighbours and shopkeepers nearby
- Why
- They will water for a year.
- How
- Give each tree to one person by name on the rota.
The day, hour by hour
- 07:00Gather, split into small groups, each gets a row of pegs.
- 07:15Check for underground pipes or cables before digging.
- 07:30Dig the holes (if not dug before).
- 09:30Mix compost, plant, remove the poly bag, water.
- 11:00Rest and water.
- 11:15Fit and tie the guards.
- 13:00Number and list each tree; put up the rota.
- 13:30After photos, pack up, collect the poly bags.
How to take the proof
- Before and after from the same spot, showing the whole row.
- Close-ups of a few trees with their guards.
- Receipts for saplings and guards; if free, the nursery's slip.
- Three months later, the same photo again, with the survival count.
Common first-time mistakes
- Planting with the poly bag on; roots cannot grow.
- Big trees under power lines.
- Planting eucalyptus or acacia; choose native species.
- Thinking planting day is the end; without a rota many die.
What can go wrong, and what to do
Goats or cattle eat the saplings
Bury the guard's base and tie it to a stake; mend broken guards at once.
No water in the dry season
The rota keeper checks weekly; mulch the base with dry leaves.
Pipes or cables underground
If in doubt, stop digging and move the spot.
Someone pulls up a tree
Replant, and ask the nearest shop to keep an eye.
Ready words to send
Copy, fill the [brackets], send.
Volunteer call
Hello. We will plant 100 native trees at [place], each with a bamboo guard. Date: [date], 7 am to 1:30 pm. Meet at [place]. Bring a spade if you have one. Gloves and water provided. Not just planting: put your name on the year's watering rota too — one day a week. Sign up on the Desher Kaj task page.
Application to the landowner or authority
Date: [date] To, [Mayor/Chairman/Head Teacher], [institution] Subject: Application to plant trees as volunteers at [place]. Sir/Madam, We, volunteers from the area, wish to plant about [number] native trees (such as neem, jarul, bakul, mango, jackfruit) at [place/stretch of road] on [date]. Each tree will have a bamboo guard, and residents will water them on a rota for a year. Trees will be planted clear of power lines and pipes. A sketch of the spots is attached. We request your kind permission. Yours sincerely, [name], team lead [mobile number]
After it is done
- Keep the rota going weekly for a year; twice a week in the dry season.
- Count survivors at 3 and 12 months and report with photos.
- Replace dead saplings next monsoon; keep guards for 2–3 years.
Questions people ask
Where do we get saplings?
Forest Department nurseries and the upazila agriculture office often give saplings free or cheap, especially in the monsoon planting season.
Which trees should we avoid?
Avoid foreign species like eucalyptus and acacia; native ones are better for birds and soil.
Can I join if I cannot stay the whole time?
Yes. Say in your request which step or which hours you can do. The lead will give that step to you.