What is Miyawaki Forest and how is it different from ordinary forests?

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday inaugurated the 'World's Largest Miyawaki Urban Forest' in Lahore under the '10 Billion Tree Tsunami' project.

Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan said that everyone should plant at least one tree and nurture it.

According to Radio Pakistan, this forest has been established on an area of ​​more than 100 kanals and it has 165,000 plants.

At this point, a question is circulating as to what is the Miyawaki technique of growing forests and what is special about it.

Forests are an invaluable natural resource and bring invaluable benefits to any country, ranging from the supply of valuable timber to beans and sorghum and the protection of land from erosion, removal of carbon from the air and resistance to global warming, local climate. Improvements, conservation of wildlife and promotion of tourism.

According to CEO.buzz, a website that provides forest statistics, forests cover only 1.91% of Pakistan's land area and we are ranked 173rd in the world.

More worryingly, according to the World Bank, Pakistan's forests have declined by 76% in the last 30 years. With the rate at which the population is increasing, the existence of forests in Pakistan also seems to be in danger.

Who was Miyawaki and what is his technique?

Akira Miyawaki was a Japanese botanist who invented a new method of forestry called the Miyawaki technique after him.

Miaowaki surveyed the trees growing on religious pilgrimages in Japan and compared them with other forests growing throughout Japan, and found that forests have four layers. Mostly large trees, sub-species of trees, shrubs and grasses and herbs growing on the ground.

Miyawaki knew that trees communicate with each other, and in this light, he invented a method of growing forests.

According to the Daily J. Store, in this way where the forest is to be grown, the land is first fertilized with the help of locally available natural plant material, for example by adding straw.

The seeds of 50 to 100 native trees are then sown randomly on this land, just like in natural forests.

In artificial forests, about one thousand seeds are sown in an area of ​​two and a half acres, but in the Miawaki technique, the number of seeds is very high and 20,000 to 30,000 seeds are sown in two and a half acres. This is because, according to Miyawaki's theory, since the number of plants in a forest growing in this way is very large in the beginning, there is a fierce competition between them for air and food, which makes them grow faster than usual. Grow up

According to the Urban Forest website, the Miyawaki forest grows ten times faster than the average forest. Imran Khan had reiterated in a tweet that in this way forests grow ten times faster and 30 times denser.

The area is then monitored over the next two to three years, the plants are watered and the unnecessary weeds are separated.

After two or three years, when the forest stands on its own two feet, it no longer needs to be monitored, except that no one comes in and destroys the young plants. In 20 to 30 years, the Miyawaki forest becomes like a natural forest.

Miyawaki differs from other artificial forests grown by nurseries in that it cultivates not only tall trees but all kinds of plants, in order to create a healthy environment.

In addition, local trees and plants are preferred, as they are more compatible with the local environment and can flourish more easily. In addition, the Miyawaki technique examines the soil, examines the salinity, water, and other constituents, and then suggests suitable tree species.

Miyawaki has successfully planted forests in dozens of countries around the world, after which it has been launched in Pakistan. According to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Miyawaki forests are being planted at 50 places in different parts of Lahore.

However, when we spoke to Syed Muhammad Nasir, a forest and ecology expert and former Inspector General of Pakistan, his views turned out to be different.

Can Pakistan afford Miyawaki forests?

He told Independent Urdu that the Miyawaki forest is nothing but a waste of time and money. "It costs five to six lakh rupees to grow half an acre of forest in Miyawaki technique while our country cannot afford this huge expenditure."

Syed Mohammad Nasir further said, "Where there was a forest before, it is good to plant a forest there because the climate of the area and the amount of water in the land can bear the burden of this forest, but the problem is that such Forests are also being planted in areas where there were once forests. Planting forests where there were pastures or barren areas would further lower the water level and create difficulties for those who make a living by raising sheep and goats.

When we spoke to Jawad Ahmad Qureshi, Director General, Parks and Horticulture Authority, Lahore, he rejected all the arguments of Syed Muhammad Nasir.

He said that only native trees are selected through research under the Miaowaki technique and there is no danger of harming the environment.

Syed Mohammad Nasir said that the fear of falling water level is also wrong because the amount of water in the soil increases due to local trees, it does not decrease.

He further said that in ancient times Lahore and its adjoining areas were covered with forests, due to which it is not correct to say that where there were no forests, forests were being planted. It used to be that expensive plants were grown by being imported, but now we are focusing on local plants.

He also said that Miyawaki has been planted only in different places inside Lahore city and it has nothing to do with pastures.