Powai plot readies for dense plantation; efforts on to rope in citizens in mammoth Miyawaki swell
The saplings are ready to be planted in mini forests
Mumbai’s green gladiators want forests at every corner, or at least in as many gardens as possible in the city. The only way to combat ‘concrete jungles’ used with good reason to describe Mumbai, is to create a jungle of one’s own, and that jungle is a forest. The BMC and Mission Green Mumbai are working together to rope in citizens “to create mini forests in different gardens in Mumbai”, they stated.
Subhajit Mukherjee, founder, Mission Green Mumbai, said they are starting to make an urban forest on Saturday, a day after Dussehra. The site that has been earmarked is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Udyan at Hiranandani Powai. Mukherjee said, “A mini forest will be created here in a plot marked inside the garden. Approximately 250 saplings are going to be planted in a space of 100 square metres. We will have at least 20 varieties of native saplings including fruits and flowering trees, which will be planted inspired by the Japanese Miyawaki technique.”
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The method
The Miyawaki method was propounded by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1980s. It basically means planting various usually, native species of plants, in many cases saplings that can eventually grow into trees, are planted very close to each other. This creates a canopy of green, a mini forest. Since they are planted close together, they receive sunlight from the top, not from the sides. Because the plants are densely packed, this is an ideal method, some experts claim, for Mumbai. The city where space is at an absolute premium can benefit from this method of greening.
Work underway to welcome a mini forest
The plants do need very little space, as they have to be packed in densely and forests can be created. There have been several reports about how mini forests can be made, in urban sprawls and homes too, using the Miyawaki method.
Citizen stake
Mukherjee claimed that the most sustainable infra projects are those that weave the community in. That is what the civic body and Mission Green Mumbai believe is the heartbeat of continuing these initiatives that citizens too have a stake in these mini forests. For Saturday, locals, civic authorities and green activists are celebrating the festive season and Dussehra by inaugurating an urban mini forest. A local resident is also marking her birthday with a donation for the project. This points to a new sensibility and stop climate change consciousness. “We can celebrate responsibly and most importantly, along with nature to make special days more meaningful and give resonance to phrases like righting ecological imbalance,” said Mukherjee.
Jitendra Pardeshi, Superintendent of Gardens said, “Initial work is on at several plots across Mumbai, for the creation of mini urban forests. We want to do more, as we have many plots, which have been earmarked though work has not started on them. In fact, we are encouraging non-profits, individuals to approach us for these mini forests, and we can work together with them.”
“We must remember that it is not just trees. A mini forest attracts birds, insects, we have fruits, flowers, in fact an entire ecosystem is being created,” Mukherjee explained and signed off with a punchline, “The Saturday date is fitting one day after Dussehra. We want to fell pollution with these forests, just like the arrows felled the heads of Raavana.” Do you want to mark an occasion with a mini forest? Call Subhajit Mukherjee: 9323942388 for details.
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