Vegetation line along rail road or connecting roads was such a common site that sometime trees would even obstruct the passage, in my childhood. They widened the roads and cut the trees . Jaipur -Ajmer Highway for that matter is good example where trees as old as several hundred years were cut and roads were widened. Despite of promise of raising more trees the roads are still open. Trees now raised in inhospitable soil suffer termite attack. Plants can’t be grown at will or on any site you chose. They are specific in their choice of soil, water, and even their society. Strangely enough plants grow in groups and formations. If some plants of these formations are removed others also die.
Likewise river banks have been encroached upon; industrial growth has not even spared sea coasts. Sea coastal areas once famous for their mangrove vegetation are encroached for making industries and habitations. Sea has its own flora and fauna. Polluting sea waters with oil crude is an example of human greed.
One cannot live on trees and eat vegetables and pray like a hermit and civilization has to grow and its economic growth requires land and all land from earth, hills, river side’s, coastal areas if used in whatever way possible to "milk the nature"
Conflicts of keeping environment intact or causing imbalance for better economic growth will always remain. But at what coast human kind need a better economic status. Growth has to be sustainable. Its high time earth and its inhabitants start respecting each other, its not quality of life its sustainable development which will be important and central issues globally and plants will always play a central role in human survival.