Skip to main content

Urban forestry in India

Urban forestry in India is increasingly recognized as a vital component for sustainable urban development, offering numerous ecological, social, and economic benefits. Here's an overview based on recent developments and policies:

Current State and Importance:

Environmental Benefits: Urban forests help mitigate the urban heat island effect, improve air quality by absorbing pollutants, and play a critical role in carbon sequestration. They also assist in stormwater management by reducing runoff and erosion.

Social and Health Benefits: Green spaces within cities provide recreational areas that promote physical activity, reduce stress, and improve mental health. They also enhance the aesthetic value of urban areas, contributing to community well-being.

Economic Value: Urban forests can increase property values, attract tourism, and create job opportunities in forestry, horticulture, and related fields. They also reduce energy costs by providing shade and cooling effects, thus lowering air conditioning needs.

Urban Green 

Recent Initiatives and Developments:

Nagar Van Scheme: Launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, this initiative aims to create urban forests in 200 cities across India. The goal is to enhance urban green cover, which not only helps in environmental conservation but also in creating "urban lungs" for better air quality. 

Miyawaki Method: Several cities, including Delhi, have adopted the Miyawaki method of afforestation, which involves planting native species densely to mimic natural forest growth, leading to quicker and more biodiverse urban forests. Projects like those in Delhi and Chennai have utilized this technique to transform small urban plots into lush forest areas.

Corporate and NGO Involvement: There's active participation from the private sector through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives and NGOs in planting and maintaining urban forests. For example, companies like DCB Bank and HCL have funded urban forest projects in Delhi and Noida.

Research and Policy: Studies like those from WRI India and various academic publications highlight the need for better urban forestry practices, focusing on species selection, maintenance, and integration into urban planning. Policies are being adapted to ensure the sustainability of these forests through public participation and funding.

Urban Forestry 

Challenges:

Space and Funding: Urban areas in India are densely populated, making land availability for forests a challenge. Funding for maintenance post-plantation is often insufficient, leading to the degradation of these green spaces.

Policy Implementation: There's a gap between policy formulation and execution, with urban forest projects sometimes facing issues like land encroachments, poor species selection, or lack of community engagement.

Climate Variability: With climate change, urban forests face challenges like drought, extreme temperatures, and pest infestations, necessitating adaptive management strategies.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SOLAR Energy

The visible and near visible (Ultra-Violet and near Infrared) electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by the Sun is termed as Solar Radiation . The solar radiation has a spectral or wavelength, distribution that corresponds to different energy levels, short wavelength radiation has a higher energy than long wave length radiation. These solar radiation convert into useful forms of energy such as "heat and electricity", using a variety of technologies. The technical feasibility and economical operation of these technologies at a specific location depends on the available solar radiation or solar resource. Photovoltaic Effect :- Photo-voltaics are the technology for conversion of solar radiation (sunlight) directly into electricity. A photo-voltaic cell also called a PV or a solar cell is the device used for this purpose. The PV technology has  emerged as a promising technology to generate electricity for small applications like lighting and meeting other electric...
4 comments
Read more

Atomic and Nuclear Physics

Atomic and Nuclear Physics Atomic physics  is the field of physics that studies atoms as an isolated system of  electrons and an atomic nucleus . It is primarily concerned with the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus and the processes by which these arrangements change. This includes ions as well as neutral atoms and, unless otherwise stated, for the purposes of this discussion it should be assumed that the term atom includes ions. Atomic physics also helps to understand the physics of molecules, but there is also molecular physics, which describes the physical properties of molecules. Nuclear physics  is the field of physics that studies the constituents(protons and neutrons) and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation, but modern nuclear physics contains also particle physics, which is taught in close association with nuclear physics. The nuclear physics has provided application in many...
Post a Comment
Read more

Radioactive Elements and Resources

What Are Radioactive Elements? Radioactive elements are those whose atomic nuclei are unstable and undergo radioactive decay, emitting radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays. This instability arises from an imbalance in the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Over time, these elements transform into other isotopes or elements as they decay. Radioactive Element  Common Radioactive Elements Uranium (U)   Isotopes: Uranium-238 (most abundant, ~99% of natural uranium), Uranium-235 (fissionable, ~1%). Half-Life: U-238: ~4.5 billion years; U-235: ~700 million years. Natural Occurrence: Found in the Earth’s crust in minerals like uraninite (pitchblende). Uses: Nuclear power (U-235 for fission), nuclear weapons, depleted uranium for armor. Thorium (Th)   Isotope: Thorium-232 (primary naturally occurring form). Half-Life: ~14 billion years. Natural Occurrence: Found in thorite and monazite sands. Uses: Potential fuel for adva...
Post a Comment
Read more