ABSTRACT
The history of trees and conservation in the kingdom of Mysore has deep roots, including the planting of aesthetically pleasing trees, the cultivation of species for food and timber, the protection of sacred groves, and the planting of roadside trees for shade. Trees became more overtly political with the advent of colonial forestry and economic botany in the nineteenth century under British colonial rule which created administrative processes and positions across India for Europeans including the establishment of several botanical gardens. One European in particular, the German horticulturalist and landscape architect Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel (1865–1956), created a distinct arboreal legacy in the state of Mysore through his unique brand of tree activism which resulted in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) becoming known as India’s Garden City. This chapter explores Krumbiegel’s activism in relation to the advocacy work that he undertook in the state and presents his legacy of one of political nous and nuance.
