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Pune student creates Tree Map app, making conservation a community effort

Vidya Valley School along with Kalmadi High School and JeevitNadi Living River Foundation had come together on a project related to river conservation.

Deshmukh, who passed his Class 10 from Vidya Valley School this year in March, recalled his increasing interest in creating the app when he was in Class 9. (Source: Express Photo)

In a remarkable example of how young minds can drive environmental change, Aryaman Deshmukh, 17, an alumnus of Vidya Valley School, Pune, has created Tree Map, an app that turns conservation into a hands-on, community-driven experience for students and citizens alike.

Simply put, the app allows users to log details of trees such as species, girth, height, location, and photos. But in practice, it is a tool that enables young people to step outside classrooms, engage with their neighbourhoods, and contribute to protecting their environment in tangible ways.

Deshmukh, who passed his Class 10 from Vidya Valley School this year in March, recalled his increasing interest in creating the app when he was in Class 9. “Vidya Valley School along with Kalmadi High School and JeevitNadi Living River Foundation had come together on a project related to river conservation. I was involved in the project right from Class 7 and continued my work later with the foundation,” Deshmukh said.

Megha Gupta, a middle school science teacher and environment coordinator at Vidya Valley School, explained that hands-on, experiential learning is central to the school’s philosophy as it equips students with the skills and values needed to address future challenges.

“At a time when climate change and urbanisation threaten natural ecosystems, this initiative demonstrates how technology can be effectively used to support sustainability,” Gupta said.

“More than a digital resource, the Tree Map app fosters awareness, accountability, and action, encouraging individuals to recognise the importance of trees in maintaining ecological balance,” she added.

“We believe in developing holistic education that creates exemplary citizens,” Nalini Sengupta, the school’s founder, said. “With the app Aryaman has built, our students can actively participate in conservation, protecting trees and adding value to their communities. It is a real-world activity that fosters curiosity, empathy, and civic responsibility,” Sengupta added.

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Ipsita Rodricks, Director, Vidya Valley School, also observed that it was through projects like these that one can work towards integrating industry and education, letting students explore real-world work while still in school.

Deshmukh described the app as a bridge. “This isn’t just about data. It’s about giving people a way to connect with their surroundings and each other through something that matters, our shared environment,” he said.

When contacted, Vandana Chavan, former Rajya Sabha member and founder of Pune Climate Warriors, said that the impact of climate change is no longer being debated.

“Hence our climate awareness and experiential learning program for schools in Pune empowers children to become champions of climate awareness and sustainability,” Chavan said, adding that they have reached out to 100 schools in Pune.

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“Each month is devoted to different topics like warming cities, how trees are important, solid waste management, and then the overarching theme of one family one tree,” she said while lauding the roles played by schools in linking conservation with experiential education.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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