After receiving criticism for the intense concretisation of gardens and open spaces, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now identified five locations in the city where it will develop Urban Forests.
According to Mid-Day, the concept and suggestion were discussed at a meeting between various green activists and BMC commissioner Pravin Pardeshi last month. In the Urban Forests, BMC plans to plant as many trees as possible so as to create a dense plantation at the spot. The civic body has selected Gardens at Kurla, Bandra fort, Chandivli, Annabhau Sathe Garden and Step Garden at Kandivli, which are over 20,000 square metres, (excluding Step Garden, which is 19,000 square metres) to be turned into Urban Forests.
"BMC gardens mostly have useless exotic or non-native trees and plants. Planting native trees in the Urban Forests will attract various species of birds and butterflies," Honorary Wildlife Warden of Mumbai, and member of state wildlife board, Mayur Kamath told the leading daily.
