A nearly one-kilometre urban forest is taking shape in Banani, Dhaka, at the entrance to Kamal Ataturk Avenue from Kakoli junction. Covering about 12,000 square metres, the Forest Department and Dhaka North City Corporation project is due to open this November.
Sharmin Akter, divisional forest officer of the Dhaka social forestry division, said the site once held garbage and that work began last January. It is part of the prime minister's programme to plant 250 million trees, and the department will look after the forest for two years after opening.
It holds 220 species, among them native fruit, flowering, medicinal, ornamental, conifer, shrub and timber trees. To create the feel of a natural forest, loam soil was mixed with vermicompost, coco dust, rice husk, bone meal and organic fertiliser.
Winding footpaths, small ponds and seating have been added, and the design aims to give shelter to frogs, mongooses, birds and insects. Trees have also been planted beneath the elevated expressway in Banani and along the footpaths.
Akter expects the greenery to benefit residents' physical and mental health and to help curb pollution. Those involved claim such urban forests can grow 10 times faster than ordinary forests and absorb 30 times as much carbon dioxide.
Source: samakal
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