Metros tend to wear tall concrete structures as a badge of honour. Think of the “most-developed” cities — Singapore, New York and our own Mumbai, for example — and photos of skyscrapers will come to mind. We tend to associate development with grand concrete constructions. Thankfully, there is a small segment that associates development with “constructing” forests. Yes, you heard me right.
Thuvakkam, a Mylapore-based voluntary organisation, has a started a project that shows how to “construct” a forest in one’s backyard, based on a revolutionary concept that originated in Japan and is spreading to other parts of the globe.
“This is called the Miyawaki method of afforestation, named after the Japanese botanist and plant ecologist Akira Miyawaki. Using this, it’s possible to grow a variety of native species in as little a space as 600 sq.ft. Through this, you can have a mini forest in your backyard,” says Krishna Kumar Suresh, founder and director of Thuvakkam.
Thuvakkam has taken the Miyawaki model and customised it for the Chennai conditions.
By promoting natural vegetation on land destroyed by natural calamities and man-induced mistakes, Miyawaki managed to raise mini forests along the coastline of Japan.
As a side benefit, these forests serve as a natural bulwark against soil erosion and Tsunami. As Chennai has had a bitter taste of Tsunami, it would do well replicate this model. “The Miyawaki method has been been successful in almost all parts of Japan and other countries as well. In contrast to conventional planting techniques, this method allows for planting more number of trees in small spaces. The trees grow faster too and are free of chemicals and fertilisers. The advantage of Miyawaki method is that the saplings need minimum maintenance,” says Krishna.
The process explained
- "A pit has to be dug, and its dimensions depend on the available space. Before digging the pit, the list of tree species should be chosen judiciously. As there is very little space to work around with, trees with varying heights should be chosen. For example, if a tree that can grow up to 30 feet is planted, the next one should be considerably shorter. This ensures the branches don't clash," says Krishna Kumar Suresh.
- Fill it with one layer of compost, followed by a layer of natural waste such as bagasse and coconut shells and then top it with a layer of red soil.
- Plant the saplings following interval and tree height specifications.
- The whole process can be completed in two to three weeks. The saplings have to be maintained regularly for a year.
Cost analysis
"The exercise will cost approximately ₹ 20,000 for a 600 sq. ft mini forest," says Krishna. Thuvakkam sources saplings for free from another NGO and customers are expected to bear only the cost of digging and purchase of compost and red soil.
Maintenance
"The saplings will be taken care of, without any fee, for the first two years — Thuvakkam sends volunteers to take care of maintenance needs. If they are properly looked after for a year or so, then they will go on their own," says Krishna.
A lesson in urban afforestation
Thuvakkam launched this initiative at Jain Public School in Thirumudivakkam, crafting a mini-forest on 800 sq.ft. feet of land. Forty-five saplings of native trees, including neem, poovarasan and pungai, were planted on this patch of land.
“We had more than 60 volunteers including the staff and students of the school and nearby residents actively participating in the drive. We try to get all the stakeholders involved so that they take responsibility of the trees and nurture them,” he says.
“We have a team of volunteers who visit the school every Saturday and tend to the saplings. The school also waters them regularly.”
Thuvakkam was supported in this exercise by CSNI and Newgen Knowledge Works as part of their CSR initiatives. The organisation is calling upon schools and colleges, apartment complexes and industrial complexes to create urban forests and help in enhancing Chennai’s biodiversity.
