The recent Amazon forest fire burning out the lungs of the earth has a ringed a louder bell to focus on the preservation and cultivation of more forest cover to save the future generation. The increasing global warming due to the greenhouse gas effect and carbon emissions by the industrialized nations resulted in the formation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which convenes Earth summits where the world countries sit for discussions to optimize the level of carbon emissions and save earth from the clutches of global warming.
The walkout by the US, the major industrialized country sharing a gigantic part of carbon emission has left the rest of the world with no choice. When there is less or no choice of arriving at an international solution, the developing countries especially India are in a demanding situation to maintain the optimum level of allowed carbon emission on one hand while increasing the forest cover of the country on the other hand. It is an important obligation under the Sustainable Development Goals which actually should have been achieved years back under the Millenium Development Goals.
As per the State of Forest Report, the present forest cover of India is at 24.39% while the intended target is 33%. To attain this target India has taken many initiatives. National Green Mission focussing on increasing the tree cover is one of the main missions under the National Action plan on Climatic Change. A separate mission for the Himalayan area is also proposed under it to concentrate on the alpine vegetation. India is a member of all international conventions focussing on climate change and also shares the common minimum responsibility. Afforestation programs, Social forestry, Dryland farming, Community forestry, Watershed development, etc are some of the important steps taken in the past times.
The social forestry or community forestry is one where public participation is involved as a community as a whole according to the region they belong to. In rural areas where 75% of people are indulged in agriculture, this becomes easy to execute. But in Urban areas with maximum or nil of non-agrarian laborers, an effective alternative is needed. Miyawaki forest method is found to be one such alternative and ideal method. It was proposed by a Japanese Botanist called Akira Miyawaki. Under this method, mini forests can be cultivated in a very less area of 3-4 square feet which is more suitable and comfortable to the closely packed Urban areas.
The first step is to locate a region for the cultivation of plants and trees. The soil texture is the most important step to be analyzed. The method involves the organic farming procedure where the green manure and organic fertilizers are used for farming. The water availability is the next step to focus on. The source should be near and adequate because the watering should be done regularly for the first 2-3 years with regular monitoring. Then comes the vital step of identifying the plantation that has to be cultivated. Selecting native species is more advisable and plants with a height of 60 - 80 cms are considered to be ideal. This method is already declared to be successful.
Though it receives criticisms from certain environmentalists that Miyawaki forests are no efficient alternatives to natural forests, still the advantages it provides cannot be underestimated. That too in urban areas which is the major contributor in the felling of trees and facing the fire of global warming, such forests are the need of the hour. The shocking revelation that the major contributors of shrinking forest cover are from the North-Eastern states, where shifting cultivation is the main reason behind it but still unavoidable due to the primitive inhabitants are used to this practice. Proper awareness and education on alternative vegetational practices should be provided to them to curb this. So Miyawaki forests can be a better solution for time being.
Disclaimer: The pictures are used only for reference. We do not own the copyrights.
Disclaimer: The pictures are used only for reference. We do not own the copyrights.
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