Miyawaki forests to be developed in schools

Designed to tackle tree scarcity, build resilient ecosystem project to run in 258 government schools

MULTAN:

In a bold move to counter the looming threats of climate change and offer a verdant sanctuary for students, the Department of School Education of South Punjab has unveiled plans to cultivate Miyawaki forests in 258 government schools. The pioneering endeavor, designed to tackle tree scarcity and forge a resilient ecosystem, enters its second phase with 258 selected schools slated to embrace the transformation.

The inaugural planting of the Miyawaki forests is set to unfurl on Wednesday (August 16) during a gala at the Government High School Jamia Uloom New Multan.

The Secretary of School Education of South Punjab, Rana Salim Ahmad Khan, and the Secretary of Forests of South Punjab, Sarfraz Ahmed, are poised to inaugurate the ambitious campaign. The concerted effort would usher in the growth of Miyawaki forests alongside the monsoon planting season, said an official source.

The innovative Miyawaki technique promises to usher in forests with a swiftness and density as it is 10 times faster and 30 times thicker compared with natural forests.

Secretary Rana Salim Ahmad Khan underscored the urgency of the initiative, revealing Pakistan's fifth-ranking status among the nations bearing the brunt of climate change ramifications. Secretary Khan said that metropolises and densely-populated zones, often marred by pollution and a dearth of greenery, would get immense benefits from the Miyawaki forests.

Planting Miyawaki forest was a good idea, he said.

It would make cities better and give cleaner air to breathe. The new forests would give us hope for a better future, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2023.