DCB Bank to build more urban forest cover in Mumbai

"Based on the success, we will look at building urban forests in other cities as well," he added. On the progress made in the first project, Mehta said that in a span of six months, the saplings planted are growing densely and show faster growth.

Private sector lender DCB Bank on Thursday said it is working on raising the urban forest cover in the city using Japanese's Miyawaki technique of growing dense plantations in a short time. Compared to a conventional plantation, Miyawaki forests grow 10 times faster, 100 times more biodiverse and provide 30 times more green surface area. The process followed is 100 per cent organic, it said.

The bank is building the urban forest cover in collaboration with NGO Green Yatra. "We started this initiative last year and so far, planted about 10,000 local species of trees in one acre of land in Madh Island and Bhandup," DCB Bank Head (Corporate Communications and CSR) Gaurav Mehta told PTI.

The bank plans to create urban forest cover in another one acre of land in Mumbai by planting 15,000 local species of trees this year, he said. "Based on the success, we will look at building urban forests in other cities as well," he added.

On the progress made in the first project, Mehta said that in a span of six months, the saplings planted are growing densely and show faster growth. He said the bank will care for the plants for over the next two years because initial years are pivotal as the saplings have to be watered diligently to prevent mortality. Then, over the course of time, the saplings become strong enough to better root in the soil and draw moisture from the ground.

Mehta also said the bank is implementing this project in a plot owned by institutions with which it has an agreement that the forest created will be protected. The initiative is a result of the long-term focus of DCB Bank on conservation of biodiversity, groundwater development, and battling the impact of climate change.

The bank undertakes sustainability and climate change resilience projects with communities and volunteers in 'hot spots' that suffer the impact of degradation or serve as locations for improvement and regeneration.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)