Bengaluru: What started as an experiment with 2,000 saplings, using a Japanese afforestation technique for quick growth of trees, has now grown into a large scale forest creation movement in the city.
Supported by Fidelity under its CSR initiative, around 800 nature lovers descended at Indian Institute of Disaster Management grounds on December 16 to plant 8,000 saplings to create a dense forest. More than 50 native species were planted.
“Japanese Miyawaki technique grows forest 10 times faster and 30 times denser compared to the traditional forest; you get a 100-year-old like a forest in just 10 years,” said Kapil Sharma, founder of SayTrees.
“This is our best bet as we as humans are running out of time to protect the generations to come. Our efforts to increase greenery should be more than the rate at which trees are being killed. This is why SayTrees is creating many Miyawaki forests for the past two years,” Sharma added.
Fidelity will maintain this forest for two years. With this plantation, SayTrees has so far planted 48,000 saplings in the city to create nine dense Miyawaki forests in the last two years.
“These forests have been created in lakes, govt. schools, parks, public land etc. In just two years from now, this forest will be super dense and we will see birds making nests (as we are seeing In other forests we have created). Such forests are highly important for urban sustainability,” Sharma commented.
Saytrees plans to extend the green initiative in to other cities and villages across the nation.
Sharma expects more corporates to join him in this initiative. “It’s the smallest thing we as a human can do for mother earth. I would also request more corproates to come forward and support our tree plantation initiatives,” Sharma said.
