Delhi govt plans to create 'urban forest' in Najafgarh

The forest and wildlife department is set to create its first Miyawaki forest at Kharkari Jatmal in Najafgarh in southwest Delhi and has floated a tender for the project, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

They said that the forest will be created on an area of 2.4 hectares, and added that the department has planned another such forest in Najafgarh's Jainpur village.

The Kharkari Jatmal and Jainpur forests will be treated as pilot projects, and if successful, the department will create more such forests in Delhi, the officials said.

Pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, a Miyawaki forest has thousands of native tree species grown closely together in a small area.

Compared to a conventional forest, a Miyawaki forest is not only denser, but can also be readied in two to three years. However, experts warn that Miyawaki forests cannot replace the ecological role that conventional forests perform, adding they are an option only for small, cramped urban spaces.