Central Idea: Prime Minister during his latest ‘Mann ki baat’ episode spoke about Miyawaki plantation, the Japanese method of creating dense urban forests in a small area.

Try this question:

Q.The Miyawaki Forests technique has to potential to revolutionize the concept of urban afforestation in India. Discuss.

Miyawaki Method

• Miyawaki method is a method of urban afforestation by turning backyards into mini-forests.
• It includes planting trees as close as possible in the same area which not only saves space, but the planted saplings also support each other in growth and block sunlight from reaching the ground, thereby preventing the growth of weed.
• Thus the saplings become maintenance-free (self-sustainable) after the first three years.
• It helps to create a forest in just 20 to 30 years while through conventional methods it takes anywhere between 200 to 300 years.

The technique

• The native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers — shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy.
• The quality of soil is analysed and biomass which would help enhance the perforation capacity, water retention capacity, and nutrients in it, is mixed with it.
• A mound is built with the soil and the seeds are planted at a very high density — three to five sapling per square meter.
• The ground is covered with a thick layer of mulch.

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