Made for the shade
Shahzad Qureshi, an engineer and a Rotarian, plants urban forests to fight climate change
I became interested in urban forests in 2015, when Karachi, Pakistan, experienced a heat wave that was blamed for the deaths of more than 1,200 people. Karachi is known as a concrete jungle, with less than 1 percent tree cover, so it became painfully obvious that we needed more trees.
My professional background is not in forestry. I studied textile engineering and currently run an e-commerce venture. But my interest in the subject grew when I heard about a technique for creating tiny forests that become self-sustaining within three years, without chemicals or pesticides and using only native species. The technique, called the Miyawaki method, is based on Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki’s work in regenerating natural forests around the world.
Shahzad Qureshi, a member of the Rotary Club of Karachi New Central, Pakistan, is the founder of Urban Forest.
Image credit: Khaula Jamil
The Miyawaki method involves planting native species together, usually two to eight plants per square yard. You plant in four layers — shrub, subtree, tree, and canopy — and use a mix of species.
The result is a forest that can grow 10 times faster than a standard plantation. By some estimates, it produces 30 times more oxygen, absorbs 30 times more carbon dioxide, and is 100 times more biodiverse. During the initial period, the trees grow faster as they compete for natural light. The forest hosts small animals, birds, and bees and other insects. This technique is now being used across the globe and is one of the most popular methods to “rewild” human settlements.
I decided to try it in Karachi at the end of 2015. Our pilot forest started out covering 600 square yards in a public park. Once it was successful, we expanded the forest to the whole park, which is 14,000 square yards. It is self-sustaining, with recycled wastewater, an organic vegetable garden that provides food for the community, a natural playground for kids, a lake, and a composting and recycling area that absorbs waste from 100 households around the park. Since then, we’ve created 24 more forests in Pakistan.
This method is applicable anywhere. We raised funds from our Rotary club and crowd-sourced from corporations and individuals. Given the existential threat of climate change, we want to encourage and help Rotary members worldwide to establish their own Miyawaki forests. — As told to Cary Bickley
This story originally appeared in the August 2022 issue of Rotary magazine.