Meghalaya is turning to Miyawaki forests to protect its environment. The state has initiated afforestation over 25000 hectares throughout the state to reforest areas that have seen rampant deforestation.
Miyawaki forests are a fast and effective way of growing dense, native forests, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. The method involves planting native trees close together in layers, which leads to rapid growth of dense, self-sustaining forests. These forests grow faster than traditional plantations and require less maintenance over time.
This is now being used across the state as part of a major afforestation project led by the Soil and Water Conservation Department, Government of Meghalaya.
The state has also undertaken other interventions including Green Meghalaya and has partnered with different organizations to promote conservation and afforestation programme. It is also providing financial incentives through the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) for conservation of forest cover.
Last week the state chief minister Konrad Sangma visited the Miyawaki forest site at Mawsharoh, Ummir in East Khasi Hills, where the method is being used to grow a forest on a 1.5-hectare area. The initiative is being anchored by Meghalaya Soil and Water Conservation Department.
“We are planting local species of trees in our forests by adopting the Miyawaki forest method, in which density of the trees is more than the normal plantations. It enables more bio-diversity to take
place and is healthier for the soil. The layering created on the hills for the plantations also helps the soil to be stable. The carbon sequestration is also much higher,” Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma said
after visiting Mawsharoh and Ummir Miyawaki forest site. “We hope to cover another 1,000 hectares in the coming days,” he said.
The Miyawaki forests project is being carried out with strong support from local communities, who are actively involved in the planting and care of these forests. The first Miyawaki forest plantation in Meghalaya began three years ago in Garo Hills as a pilot project.
“The project will be expanded across the state as one of our main afforestation drives,” Sangma added.
The Miyawaki forest method not only helps restore greenery but also brings many other benefits. These mini-forests help absorb carbon dioxide, fight climate change, improve air quality, reduce noise pollution, and provide shelter for wildlife. Meghalaya’s rich soil and unique climate make it ideal for growing these forests.
The rampant hill cutting and coal mining over the years resulted in deforestation and reduction in forest cover in Meghalaya. With concerns being raised over deterioration of the ecology in the hilly state, the state government has taken up Green Meghalaya project to restore the forests and check carbon emissions.
