Neglected Miyawaki Urban Forest near Padua Institutions is in Pathetic and dilapidated Condition
Mangaluru: Invented by and named after Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, the ‘Miyawaki Method’ is a unique technique to grow forests. Under this approach, dozens of native species are planted in the same area, close to each other, which ensures that the plants receive sunlight only from the top, and grow upwards rather than sideways. It requires very little space (a minimum of 20 square feet), plants grow ten times faster, and the forest becomes maintenance-free in three years!
It was indeed a good initiative to have a Miyawaki Urban Forest inaugurated in June 2022 by MLA Vedavyas Kamath, tandMCC Mayor Premanand Shetty, among other dignitaries, was developed from the fund donated by Syngene CSR, enabled by Biocon Foundation, in association with Vana Charitable Trust. Compliments to everyone behind this project with an aim for the betterment of the environment in the City, which has become a matter of great concern that the green cover in the city has come down to 10.8%. Creating this Miyawaki forest was a great way forward in increasing green cover, thereby avoiding the precarious situations that many big Indian cities encounter.
About 78 cents of land near Padua High School/College on National Highway 66 in the city, which was once used for dumping construction waste, was turned into a Miyawaki urban forest. Around 170 saplings were planted.o f native tree species, including 54 creepers and shrubs, which also form an important part of Miyawaki Forest, on this land. However, after a year or so, this project costing a few lakhs is seen in a very pathetic and dilapidated condition, which needs to be addressed by the developers and maintainers.
A few days ago, two teachers of the nearby high school complained over the phone to Team Mangalorean, that they are always bitten by mosquitoes when they wait near the bus shelter close to this Urban forest, and requested us to highlight the issue so the problem could be rectified. And Team Mangalorean who went to the spot noticed that the area filled with compost mixed with rain water had become a breeding place for mosquitoes, which could result in spreading Malaria or Dengue among the students of nearby institutions and the general public.
The entrance gate of the Miyawaki Urban Forest is broken, so also at many places the green net barricading is torn/worn out, thereby allowing the dogs and other stray animals to enter the area and make a mess. Even garbage is scattered all around. Wild grass has grown beyond limits – all this shows that the area has been neglected and not maintained, which is the need of the hour.
In conclusion, it is very sad to note that within a year, a beautiful Miyawaki Urban Forest had turned into such a condition, that the fencing is torn, the entrance gate is broken, and not locked, garbage is scattered etc- Team Mangalorean made a kind request to the concerned people of this project, to rectify the present condition of the urban forest, and bring it back to its originality. Thank You!
