Guesstimate: Sizing the Total Tree Count Inside Delhi

How many trees are there in Delhi? Build the estimate out loud: define what you are counting, state every assumption, and finish with a point estimate and a reasonable range. ```hint Split before you multiply A single density for the whole city hides how differently a forest belt, a crowded residential block and a highway corridor are planted. Decide which kinds of land to treat separately, and test each density by picturing how far apart the trees would stand. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does "Delhi" mean the National Capital Territory only, or should neighboring cities such as Gurugram and Noida be included? - What counts as a tree: a woody plant above some minimum height or trunk size, or should saplings from recent planting drives count as well? - Should trees on private land (homes, farmhouses, closed government and military campuses) be counted, or only trees on public land? - Is a structured formula with rough inputs enough, or do you want a single final figure? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - Settling the boundary and the definition of a tree before any arithmetic - A split of Delhi's area into land types whose tree densities genuinely differ, such as forest belts, parks and campuses, housing, roads and commercial land, farmland, and water or floodplain - Densities that are physically plausible and expressed in consistent area units - Clean arithmetic to a point estimate and a range, with the assumption that moves the total most called out - An independent cross-check of the result, such as canopy area or trees per resident ### Follow-up Questions - Which single assumption changes your total the most, and how would you pin it down cheaply? - How would you verify the estimate with a field sample or satellite imagery? - How would you estimate how many trees Delhi gains or loses in a year?