Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Thiruvananthapuram
Thinning green canopy
|
World Forestry Day is on March 21. Urban greening is a half hearted affair, discovers RAMYA RAMANAN
|
The city kid, in his quest for knowledge, innocently puts forth a volley of questions: What is a forest? How does it look? Is it similar to the one shown in the National Geographic Channel? To him, the knowledge on forest is confined to the dictionary meaning of a large area of land thickly covered with trees and bushes. He is unexposed to Mother Earth's soft brown blanket of mud, the lush greenery, the chirping of birds, the shady trees, in short, the serene solace of a forest.
Observing the World Forestry Day on 21st March seems more of a fad than a sincere effort to preserve our fragile planet and ecosystems, resources and natural processes that bind us all together.
It is to protect the acres of pristine wilderness, to promote ecological value, to preserve forests, to save trees from being felled and to inculcate in human beings the awareness of our fauna and flora, that this day is being observed the world over.
The forest cover of Kerala is largely spread over the Western Ghats. Acclaimed by the World Scientific Community as one of the world's 18 biological Hot Spots, it is considered to be a repository of endemic, endangered and rare flora and fauna.
But in reality, the recorded forest area is 11,125.29 sq km (around 28.90 per cent) of which the effective forest area is only 9400 sq km.
The policy of the Kerala Government is to conserve this rich natural heritage for the generations to come. A Forest Management Information System is being developed to establish a computer network linking the forest head quarters to all circles and divisions.
Indian Ecological Development Project at Thekkady has been accepted as a model at the national level. A new programme, Primary Environmental Care, intended to improve the environment of the urban areas has been launched in an effort to envisage the spirit of the people to put in their best for environmental care.
In the words of the noted environmentalist, Mr.M.K.Prasad, we tend to focus more on the World Environment Day falling on June 5th and the Wildlife Week during October. Enough is not being done on the World Forest Day.
He feels much can be done to make Kochi a more verdant landscape. Particular areas could be identified and the people residing in those areas must come up with the desire and determination to take care of the saplings and shrubs planted in their vicinity.
This way there is more of public participation and responsibility instilled in them to make their locale an enviable green spectacle. If one of the neighbourhoods initiates such a programme, others are sure to take up the cue and greenery will reign supreme. Seasons attributed to the decreasing forest cover are several, like faulty agricultural and irrigation practices, faulty road building on fragile hill slopes and other environmentally unfriendly practices. The other factors are the extreme pressure of a fast growing population on forests for firewood, fodder, timber and other forest products, urbanisation and industrialisation.
Mr.Prasad, sadly observes that despite the genuine interests taken by several tree lovers of Kochi, their relentless efforts seem to fail due to various reasons. The planting of saplings is not the only answer to greening. Adequate care has to be taken to water and manure them, besides pruning and upkeep.
The avenue trees, if grown on the dividers of the National Highway will impart beauty and elegance along with providing shade to the commuters. These trees also have a unique feature of filtering dust particles and absorbing 50 to 60 per cent of sound pollution.
Mr.K.P.Ouseph, Conservator, Indian Forest Service, is of the view that it was the discontinuity of action and the lack of coordination from the various organisations and other NGOs which yielded poor results in the beautification of our city.
He remarks that the Forest Department officials only took interest in the domain allotted to them for social forestry and the rest of the land remains unattended to, making it a no man's domain. This demarcation leads to what he terms as an island of prosperity and an ocean of poverty.
Mr.Ouseph states that the fashion statement of the West has bowled over Kochiites. The cultivation of orchids, other rare ornamentation plants fall in the category of decorative and artificial gardening. If the same interest could be nurtured for trees, it would be wiser, beneficial and a more cost effective trend.
Even though the mushrooming of apartments is comparatively a recent development in Kochi, Mr.Ouseph believes that a tree fencing could be created around each of these apartments. With a bit of maintenance it could be both instrumental and ornamental in nature.
An interesting phenomenon which takes place in Fort Kochi in the month of April is the Tree
Festival. It is an educative and rather informative programme which is looked forward to by the children of this neighbourhood.
Mr.Anoop Skaria, of Kashi Art Cafe, is an active organizer and coordinator of this festival.
Only too happy to speak of this festival, he says that it has been deliberately timed for April keeping in mind the summer vacation.
The Tree Festival, Tree Trail are all targeted at the younger generation. The former gives more importance in the preservation of rare varieties of trees and plants.
The latter could be termed as an information hunt, as it clubs information with entertainment and recreation.
Greening our surroundings is of paramount importance if we are to remain physically and mentally healthy.
Even though the solution largely depends on political leadership, appropriate Government policies, support in implementation of all environment and forest related programmes, the vital ingredient is to connect with a new ethic of global stewardship and conservation and most of all with the imagination and courage to make it a reality, as quoted by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
* * *
Adopt a tree
What can we do to make Kochi greener?
With active involvement and commitment from Kochi folks, much can be done. Apart from creating green lungs within the city, there is a need to deepen the working relationships between Government, NGOs and society.
Mr.K.P.Ouseph, Conservator, Indian Forest Service, feels that if each and every one of us, especially the youth, were to take up the scheme of `Adopt a Tree' in a public place, it would lead to an endeavour which could be carried on, making Kochi a greener city.
One of his suggestions to the college students is that if each student could adopt a tree on his college premises or some place and nurture it till he completes his college education, he would be more environmental savvy. And before his passing out from the college, he could hand over this tree to his junior and this legacy could be continued. This would become a chain reaction resulting in a closer bonding with nature.
Any takers?
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Thiruvananthapuram
|
