Last month, the Union ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change approved a 10 hectare city forest proposal to be developed in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. Similarly, in July ’22, urban forest projects for 6 cities in Jharkhand were also approved. These projects are being developed under the ‘Nagar Van Yojna’. The scheme, launched by the government in 2020, aims to develop 400 Nagar Vans (City forests) and 200 Nagar Vatikas (City Gardens) by 2024-2025, with the support of the local bodies, to improve the quality of life of city dwellers and for its various ecological and climate benefits. According to the scheme guidelines, city governments and other land owning agencies can also submit proposals through the concerned State Forest Department for financial assistance.

The scheme has also showcased the Warje urban forest in Pune as a model project which developed 16 acres of neglected land owned by the state forest department and planted ~9500 trees in the area. The neglected land has now been transformed into an area of rich biodiversity and also helps in absorbing approximately 129,000 Kg carbon-dioxide and producing about 5,62,000 Kg oxygen per year.

MoE&F in a Lok Sabha reply, has said that a total of 173 project proposals have been approved under the Nagar Van Yojna in 2021-22. Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala have the most number of approved projects. The development of these urban forests supports India’s commitment at COP27 UN climate summit, to create an additional carbon sink (a natural or artificially created environment that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere) of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, by 2030.

Unfavorable factors like pollution and heat waves in cities, maintenance, resources and expertise required in the municipal government, financial limitations etc. are seen as challenges while developing city forests. Despite the challenges, Urban Forestry has innumerable benefits.

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