In India, this method is slowly gaining momentum. The social enterprise Afforest has worked with various companies and individuals to create these forests. Recently, they worked with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India (GOI) to convert a sewage-ridden patch of land near the Barapullah drain. This was part of a bigger project named Local Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS HR) to clean the drain. LOTUS is a joint initiative of DBT, Ministry of Science and Technology, and the GOI that set up a demonstration plant to clean up the Barapullah drain. With early site inspections in January 2018, the foundation of the forest was laid in July 2018.
Afforestt’s Miyawaki technique includes a six-step process that starts with surveying the soil to assess physical texture, organic carbon, soil pH and more. Then a survey of native species and biomass is done by visiting and collecting relevant data from the nearest natural forest in the region. After which, native saplings are procured and planted in layers, as per Miyawaki guidelines. Finally, the site is monitored and maintained for a period of 2 to 3 years, after which the sites become self-sustainable.
Roughly costing around Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 60,000 to create a tiny forest of 300 ft & 100 square metre, this method guarantees a high survival and growth rate compared to conventional forests, if the technique is followed to the T,” said Sunny Verma, Executive Director, Afforestt.
Shailja Gupta, Principal Scientist at DBT looks at this method as a “terrific option in urban cities where land and space are a constraint. Allowing maximum optimisation of land, the results are very rewarding with a visible increase in growth to nearly 10 ft of over 2000 species that were planted, and of which almost all are thriving,” she said.
Though the potential native vegetation survey is the most critical part of forest creation, Gupta explained that its beauty lies in the close proximity of saplings (minimum of 3 saplings per square metre) which allows the root systems to remain connected with each other, to help in their upkeep of immunity such that no fertiliser or pesticide is required to keep them healthy and growing. It also helps ward off diseases, which is hugely important, added Gupta.
The Noida District Magistrate, BN Singh, who is also keen on the Miyawaki method, has found a rather unconventional way of ensuring afforestation. He said that over the years migration into the city has put pressure on resources such as land, water, and others. Government land is being captured for unauthorised construction, selling, buying, etc.
As an initiative to utilise available land and increase green cover in the city, he proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between local bodies and private and public companies that are ready to invest funds either through CSR or otherwise. These partnerships allow the respective parties involved to use the land for the sole purpose of afforestation for a stated period of time, without any other rights or ownership.
In their newest variation of MoU, the district administration of Gautam Budh Nagar signed an MoU with Samsung India to develop a Miyawaki forest in a land area of 71,000 sq mt in the Dadri area, around 35 km from the company’s Noida manufacturing plant. This has been signed under the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. The district administration has given the land to Samsung India for 10 years towards afforestation.
“By connecting organisations through MoUs and creating forests, it will have a demonstrative impact as well. Now once the forest grows in the Collectorate office it might motivate others to do this as well,” said Singh.
Singh added, “Once developed this would be the largest Miyawaki forest in India. Hope some good patches of dense forest will be visible in the district in coming years.”