Navi Mumbai: NMMC to create largest Miyawaki-method urban forest; to plant 80,000 saplings this year

In the last two years, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has already planted more than 2,22,000 trees under the Miyawaki method and created a mini-urban forest. Now, the civic body has planned to plant another 80,000 saplings during this year, out of which 60,000 saplings will be planted before the arrival of the monsoon in the city. These trees will be planted at Jewel of Navi Mumbai garden in Nerul.

NMMC has undertaken various eco-friendly initiatives in the city and is paying special attention to tree planting and conservation. It has already planted more than 2.22 lakh saplings in the last two years. The Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Bangar has instructed the garden department to complete the planting of 60,000 saplings in the pre-monsoon period of the next one month in a planned manner and also to plant another 20,000 saplings in a planned manner during this year.

In the year 2021, more than 1 lakh saplings were planted in the city through the NGO 'Green Yatra' under the Miyawaki method. As part of it, a rich urban forest of 40,000 trees has been created in the nature park at sector 14 in Koparkhairane under the CSR funds.

In addition, last year, a total of 40,000 saplings were planted at Morbe Dam site and another 20,000 saplings were planted in other parts of the city.

Maintaining the momentum, in the year 2022, more than 1.4 lakh saplings were planted in 7 places across the city by Miyawaki method, in which 20,000 saplings are of native species. All the trees planted by Miyawaki system are of native species and include Karwand, Curry, Tagar, Adulsa, Neem, Khair, Bell, Limb, Kanchan, Apta, Umber, Khair, Ashok, Badam, Bor, Anjan, Bahawa, Kokam, Jambul, Moh. There are more than 60 native tree species such as Bakul, Karanj, Rithe, Cashew, Chinch, Amla, Wad, Pimpal, Sonchafa, Mango, Kadamba, Saag, Saras.

At the beginning of the year, the civic body planned to plant 1 lakh saplings in Jewel of Navi Mumbai garden in Nerul of which 68,000 saplings have been planted in Miyawaki method.

The growth of Miyawaki-style seedlings is many times faster than that of conventional plantings. Considering the experience in the nature park at Koparkhairane, it has been observed that the seedlings growing from 1.5 to 2 feet at the time of planting can grow up to 15 feet in 12 months. In the same way, these fruit-rich trees have been shown to increase the biodiversity of the area.