Urban Forestry with Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation

Under AMRUT scheme Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation decided to develop four Forest gardens at Shahunagar, Laxmi nagar and Punawale with total 7200 forest trees, in collaboration with FORREST.

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is a flagship scheme of Central Government, which aims to provide cities with amenities including water supply, sanitation, open spaces and a pollution-free environment.

These PCMC garden were out of ordinary, as these aims to create “urban forest”. Forests differ from plantation in density and diversity of species. The planting of trees five feet apart, never become forest and cannot provide benefits of forest.

For creating the urban native forest we selected total 100 species. For each site at least 50 species were selected and planted densely that match our natural forest systems. Native trees like Umbar ( Ficus recemosa), Bahava (Cassia fistula), Kadulimb (Azadirachta india), Bakul (Mimusops elengi), Taman (Lagerstroemia indica) etc. were selected. Selected trees are medicinally important trees which will create a healing microclimatic conditions in the vicinity. 

From the day they are planted, the various species and individual trees are undergoing a process of natural selection through competition, resulting in the creation of a diversified natural forest.

Trees in the garden are already attracting butterflies, bees and birds.

Thanks to PCMC officials and our elective representatives this crucial change is happening in PCMC.

This project is not only about beautifying our city but and giving benefits to community at large of their health, quality of life, and well-being – locally and globally.