CHANDIGARH—In a bid to revive the age-old tradition of village forest, the government has announced Urban Forest Scheme on the occasion of World Environment Day. Under the scheme 200 Urban Forests will be developed across the country in next five years with a renewed focus on people’s participation and collaboration between Forest Department, Municipal bodies, NGOs, Corporates and local citizens, said Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate on Friday in Delhi.
Releasing a brochure on the best practices on Urban Forests and announcing the Nagar Van scheme, the minister said that these forests would work as lungs of the cities and would primarily be on the forest land in the City or any other vacant land offered by local urban local bodies. Stressing on the this year’s theme i.e. “Time for Nature” with special focus on biodiversity, Shri Javadekar said, “thumb rule is that if we protect nature, nature protects us”.
A film was screened during the Environment Day Celebrations narrating how the initiatives of Punaikars along with Forest Department and local body has converted 16.8 ha of a barren hill into green forests. Today, the forest is rich in biodiversity with 23 plant species, 29 bird species, 15 butterfly species, 10 reptiles and 3 mammal species. This Urban Forest project is now helping maintain ecological balance, serving both environmental and social needs. The Warje Urban Forest is now a role model for the rest of the country.
On the occasion he said,“India has 8 percent of world’s biodiversity, despite having many constraints like only 2.5 per cent of the world’s landmass, has to carry 16% of human as well as cattle population and having only 4 percent of freshwater sources; the mega biodiversity that we have, is the result of Indian ethos which is to be in sync with nature.”
Highlighting the Indian culture, Javadekar said that “India is probably the only country where trees are worshipped, where animals, birds and reptiles are worshipped and this is the respect Indian society places for the environment. We had a very important tradition of village forest since ages, now this new scheme of the urban forest will fill up the gap because urban areas have Gardens but very rarely forests; With this activity of creating urban forest we will also create additional carbon sink,” said the Union Minister.
The event also saw virtual participation from Executive Director, United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification, (UNCCD), Ibrahim Thiaw and Executive Director United Nation Environment Programme(UNEP), Inger Andersen.
The UNCCD executive director, Thaw said that “Is it not time, that we realise that we need nature more than nature needs us, if at all. Is it not time, that we have the humility to rethink and redefine our relationship with nature. Perhaps, it is time for humanity to have a new social contract for nature.”
Stressing on this year’s theme Andersen said that actions for nature means a lower risk of future pandemics, achieving the sustainable development goal, slowing climate change, healthier lives, better economies, being able to cherish that breath of fresh air or walk in the woods protecting life itself. In a post COVID world, we need to build back better, we need to protect the planet to protect ourselves.
YS.RANA
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