Ismail launches urban forest project at Governor House

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Sunday launched an urban forest project at the Governor House to mark International Day of Forests.

The urban forest would be developed on an acre inside the Governor House using the famous Japanese Miyawaki technique. Saplings of 1,260 different plant and trees species would be planted under the project conceived to further the 10 billion tsunami tree plantation programme of the federal government.

Speaking on the occasion, the governor mentioned that a Japanese botanist after research of 60 years invented the Miyawaki method of growing trees at a fast pace. He explained that the Miyawaki method enabled growing forests on small land and the project of urban forest had been launched to contribute towards improving environment and climate of Karachi.

He said the project would create a favourable environment in just three years’ time, and the forest would attract birds and insects of different species, including honeybees. Ismail said the Miyawaki method was capable of growing trees 10 times faster than any other regular technique of increasing the green cover. He added that the trees so grown were capable of producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide and other harmful contents of the environment at a much faster pace.

According to the governor, such modern methods should be used in Karachi to conserve and increase its fast diminishing green cover with the increase in population. He said the tree cover in Karachi should be increased in order to maintain the ecological balance of the city and the public should also take part in this campaign.

Ismail expressed gratitude to the Sindh government’s forest department for lending support for the urban forest project. He disclosed that land of different agencies like the Civil Aviation Authority, Pakistan International Airlines, and Port Qasim would be secured for growing urban forests in Karachi with the use of the same method.

He remarked that land along the Lyari Expressway and other areas in the city could also be utilised for growing trees after the allocation of that land by the Sindh government for the purpose.

He highlighted the fact that the city of Karachi had emerged as a concrete jungle and there was a need for increasing its green cover to make it secure from adverse effects of climate change.

Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said Karachi had been adversely affected due to climate change and heatwaves were one such adverse impact of that.

He added that plantation was being carried out in Karachi on a large scale to safeguard the lives and health of the citizens. He said that tree plantation was being carried out on 13,000 acres in the country earlier affected due to floods. He said that similar plantation campaigns would also be initiated in Hyderabad ad Sukkur.

Participants of the ceremony also prayed for the quick recovery of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife who have been suffering from the coronavirus infection.