The 'Urban Forestry Scheme', an environment ministry's effort, will roll out from Pune when 6,000 saplings will be planted to create an urban jungle on about 80 acres.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar said his ministry was working on the plan along with the state government and civic body.

Urban forestry is a new thrust area and government will take up a massive tree plantation drive in as many as 200 cities and towns across the country. Pune will be the first to launch the drive.

In a press statement from the ministry, Javadekar has highlighted the need for increasing the green cover and protecting wildlife. He observed that most cities had gardens and parks, but no forests.

"There are many cities where the forest department has land but there are no forests on it or they are degraded. In these places, through the people's participation, we will establish urban forests," he added.

The green mission can succeed only through people's support, he said. The minister has urged citizens to plant saplings, take selfies and share the photographs on 'wedselfie.nic.in'.

According to Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, urban and peri-urban forestry is the practice of managing forests, groups of trees and individual trees in and around urban areas to maximize their economic, livelihood, social, cultural, environmental and biodiversity values.

The UPF can serve a range of purposes and it takes many forms, covering natural and planted forests and trees, forests maintained in watersheds or in dry lands, forests and wooded areas, green spaces and street trees, as well as trees in urban and peri-urban gardens.

Source: The Times of India