More NGOs, private entities interested in building forests

An urban forest developed by BMC in Bhakti Park, Wadala

The garden department will soon look for plots from other departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for developing urban forests, as NGOs and other private entities have expressed interest in carrying out this initiative through corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, the lack of available space has not allowed the garden department to develop more urban forests, revealed sources.

Around two years ago, BMC's garden department took up the ambitious project to plant more than four lakh trees under urban forest production at 64 places. Since then they have completed the process at 45 places, and more than two-and-a-half-lakh trees have blossomed in these green spaces. These urban forests are flourishing all over Mumbai and are becoming a part of attractions for many, said a civic official.

The Miyawaki method of afforestation has become extremely popular around the world. The idea of planting trees in large numbers, in dense form in a very small space originated in Japan and is now being adopted in many small and big cities across the world.

In view of the lack of space in the city, the garden department is now asking for space from other departments where urban forests can be developed.

Explaining this, an official not willing to be named said, "For example, there is land belonging to the hydraulic engineering department of BMC which is lying unused as majority of the reservoirs are underground, so we can do afforestation in such spaces. There is no way to know if we are successful or not as the method is relatively new worldwide, and the results of this technique for the city will show only in a decade or so." The move has come in after many NGOs have approached the civic body to carry out this work and create more green space in the city.

The civic body was recently commended by the Consul General of Japan in Mumbai for its efforts on starting the Miyawaki project. Seeing BMC's performance, he also expressed his intention to organise a bonsai and ikebana exhibition in Mumbai.

45
No. of urban forests in city currently