Kolkata gets a Miyawaki forest on its eastern thoroughfare

She was speaking at the inauguration of the Miyawaki Urban Forest along the city’s rapidly developing Eastern Metropolitan Bypass.

“Conservation of biological diversity is essential both for food security and for the economic, social and cultural development of present and future generations,” she said.

Ever since Japanese botanist Akira Miywaki, in the 1970s, showed that by planting young native plants (trees, shrubs, grasses) in  a particular technique, it is possible to fast forward afforestation projects, it has become a mainstay for restoring degraded lands.

Urban forest departments, municipal bodies and corporate members across India have been following the Miyasaki method to increase the greenery and improve the environment in urban areas.

Kolkata too is poised to get its Miyawaki Urban Forest along the city’s rapidly developing Eastern Metropolitan Bypass.

The project is a collaboration between SwitchON Foundation (a city-based organisation working towards equitable and sustainable development) and Jangal Mahal Udyog (JMU) and is being executed on a 500 square feet land given by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).

According to Ekta Jaju, co-founder of SwitchON Foundation, “When urban spaces are struggling with both loss of green cover and spaces, Miyawaki forests can be built across the city utilizing  small spaces with the help of citizens and provide a sustainable solution towards combating the effects of climate change.”

The event was also attended by Councillor Sushanta Ghosh, KMDA’s Superintending Engineer Santanu Patra and social worker Priyadarshini Hakim.