PM launches Japanese-style urban forest in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that urban forestry is the best way to deal with pollution.

The prime minister announced the development of 50 urban forests in Lahore based on the Miyawaki method as part of efforts to restore biodiversity and fight the climate crisis. He took to Twitter and shared the news we have started Japanese-style urban forestry and the trees grow ten times faster under the Japanese method.

I have launched urban forestry on the lines of Miyawaki technique in Japan where the trees grow 10 times faster and 30 times denser and is the best way to fight pollution. 50 sites have been chosen in Lahore. First experiment was in Liberty roundabout in 2020. pic.twitter.com/iOJcYi6sSn

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 13, 2021

“I have launched urban forestry on the lines of Miyawaki technique in Japan where the trees grow 10 times faster and 30 times denser and is the best way to fight pollution. 50 sites have been chosen in Lahore. The first experiment was in Liberty roundabout in 2020,” he tweeted.

According to the Japanese method, trees are 30 times denser, and urban forestry is the best way to deal with pollution, he said. The prime minister said that 50 sites have been selected in Lahore for urban forestry and the first experiment was conducted last year at Liberty Chowk, Lahore.

While addressing the inauguration of the Spring Plantation 2021 on Friday, the prime minister had kicked off the project at Lahore’s Jilani Park. Upon his arrival, PM Imran Khan said, “The forest cover of Lahore has been reduced by 70 percent in the last 12-13 years.”

“If this kind of consistent smog remains, it reduces the [average] lifespan by 6-11 years,” he said by adding, “Global research has shown that you can’t quantify the long term effects of smog on society,” he said, adding that the government would now set out to reverse the effects of environmental neglect during Lahore’s urban development.