1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of global warming with a relatively low forest cover, of 5.4% compared to its neighbours. The initiator of the project considered this when implementing the action, with the following goals:
1. To increase the tree cover as well as provide relief from heatwaves and combat the “urban heat island” effect - to revert the growing heat islands and water shortage in Karachi (Ref: 4, 10).
2. To attract local wildlife (therefore increasing biodiversity), mitigate urban flooding and provide new sources of food as well as counterbalancing the rapid urbanization in Karachi (Ref: 3).
3. To create an evergreen, sustainable forest, employ the Miyawaki method which involves planting native species together, usually two to eight plants per square yard. (Ref: 7).
4. To capture more carbon and address the urgency to restore ecosystems that encourage biodiversity (Ref: 8).
1. To increase the tree cover as well as provide relief from heatwaves and combat the “urban heat island” effect - to revert the growing heat islands and water shortage in Karachi (Ref: 4, 10).
2. To attract local wildlife (therefore increasing biodiversity), mitigate urban flooding and provide new sources of food as well as counterbalancing the rapid urbanization in Karachi (Ref: 3).
3. To create an evergreen, sustainable forest, employ the Miyawaki method which involves planting native species together, usually two to eight plants per square yard. (Ref: 7).
4. To capture more carbon and address the urgency to restore ecosystems that encourage biodiversity (Ref: 8).
Quantitative targets
1. To plant 50,000 trees of more than 50 native species (Ref: 2).
2. To contribute to Karachi reaching at least 25% green cover (Ref: 4).
3. To expand the green area to approx. 12,000 sqm (Ref: 7).
4. To serve a population of approx 304,994 inhabitants of the Clifton cantonment inside Karachi (Ref: 2, 8).
2. To contribute to Karachi reaching at least 25% green cover (Ref: 4).
3. To expand the green area to approx. 12,000 sqm (Ref: 7).
4. To serve a population of approx 304,994 inhabitants of the Clifton cantonment inside Karachi (Ref: 2, 8).
Monitoring indicators defined
1. increase in green cover
2. number of trees planted
3. number of people who planted saplings
4. number of educational trips
5. number of birds species found in the forest
6. population benefiting from the action (Ref: 1,2,4,7,8)
2. number of trees planted
3. number of people who planted saplings
4. number of educational trips
5. number of birds species found in the forest
6. population benefiting from the action (Ref: 1,2,4,7,8)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Implementation activities
Clifton Urban Forest Park was developed in 2015 as a pilot project to create a forest on a dumping site in Clifton, Karachi using the Miyawaki Method. The forest was designed by a German-trained landscape architect by considering the long-term sustainability and maximum community benefits in mind (Ref: 1, 3, 10). The project was first initially developed on an area of about 300 square meters which was then expanded to about 12000 square meters after successful results (Ref: 5, 6). The project has received recognition at national and international forums and also organized tree plantation and awareness-raising seminars for people. The project has received funding from Sugi Project, the Rotary Club, and also crowd-sourced from various corporations and individuals (Ref: 7). Also anyone can contribute PKR 1000 to plant a tree in the forest which includes its preparation, and care for three years (Ref: 2).
After almost three years the forest had 1,200 trees of 32 native species, some as tall as 25 feet (7.62 metres). For a 100 square meter patch between 320 to 350 saplings comprising a mix of trees and shrubs of native varieties are planted (Ref: 5). The vegetables produced in this forest are also distributed in the neighbourhood as a goodwill gesture (Ref: 8).
Almost 9,000 people have planted saplings in the urban forest park of Clifton and over 30 schools came on an educational trip to learn about the native species (Ref: 10). The area has been transformed with the planting of the forest. The forest looks dense. It is green and thriving, after a difficult first few months due to the aridity of the area. Pomegranates (Punica granatum) are now growing too. (Ref: 1)
Visitors claim that they saw bird species in this park, that they have not seen in their life. As the urban forest is creating a habitat for them (Ref: 4). In 2018 work on a Lake/Reservoir started inside the forest. (Ref: 3)
After almost three years the forest had 1,200 trees of 32 native species, some as tall as 25 feet (7.62 metres). For a 100 square meter patch between 320 to 350 saplings comprising a mix of trees and shrubs of native varieties are planted (Ref: 5). The vegetables produced in this forest are also distributed in the neighbourhood as a goodwill gesture (Ref: 8).
Almost 9,000 people have planted saplings in the urban forest park of Clifton and over 30 schools came on an educational trip to learn about the native species (Ref: 10). The area has been transformed with the planting of the forest. The forest looks dense. It is green and thriving, after a difficult first few months due to the aridity of the area. Pomegranates (Punica granatum) are now growing too. (Ref: 1)
Visitors claim that they saw bird species in this park, that they have not seen in their life. As the urban forest is creating a habitat for them (Ref: 4). In 2018 work on a Lake/Reservoir started inside the forest. (Ref: 3)
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The intervention introduced the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki’s method of afforestation - Miyawaki’s technique makes the trees grow ten times faster than in nature, creating a self-sustaining forest within two to three years (Ref: 5) Only native species were planted and without any help of chemical fertilizers and pesticides (Ref: 6) The method involves planting two to four trees per square metre. Miyawaki forests grow in two to three years and are self-sustaining (Ref: 7)
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The intervention was inspired by Akira Miyawaki’s method of afforestation. Miyawaki forests have been successfully planted on more than 3000 sites globally (Ref: 11)
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Since the establishment of the first pilot forest, 24 more forests in Pakistan were implemented using this particular method. To this date, ‘Urban Forest’ has created 8 Tiny Forests in Karachi and 2 in Lahore using the Miyawaki Method. (Ref: 7, 11)
