August 7, 2003

Urbanization cannot be complete without urban forestry, so important for the air that we breathe and the water that we drink, says Mirza Tariq Irfan

Urban forestry is a new name for the old practice of planting trees and associated vegetation in and around the urban areas. The alarming decrease of forest cover in Pakistan and the growing concern about the environment throughout the world, has led the policy makers and foresters to think about discovering untraditional forest resources.

Plantable spaces in and around our cities and towns are the potential forest resources. Proper management of this valuable resource is known as urban forestry. A well-managed urban forest contributes to a sense of community pride and ownership.

Urban trees provide a wide range of important benefits such as biological, social, economic and physiological. They enhance the quality of life, provide a healthy environment to breathe in and make aesthetic surroundings to live in. Trees provide many benefits and are therefore an important urban resource. With proper planning and effective management, urban trees can provide a wide range of benefits to the citizens.

* Trees add beauty and create an environment beneficial to our mental health.

* Enhance the physical life of our roads and buildings.

* Add natural character to our cities and towns.

* Provide us with colours, flowers, and beautiful shapes, forms and textures.

* Screen harsh scenery and soften the outline of masonry, metal and glass.

* Impact deeply on our moods and emotions, providing psychological benefits impossible to measure.

* Create feelings of relaxation and well-being.

* Provide privacy and a sense of security.

* Shorten post-operative hospital stays when patients are placed in rooms with a view of trees and open spaces.

Trees are working overtime to decrease air pollution, sequester carbon dioxide (the potent greenhouse gas that is primarily to blame for global warming), and provide recreational opportunities and natural beauty.

In a study conducted by the Urban Forest Ecosystem Unit of the US Forest Services — every year in Chicago the urban trees canopy removes 15 metric tons of carbon monoxide, 84 metric tons of sulfur dioxide, 89 metric tons of nitrogen dioxide, 191 metric tones of ozone and 212 metric tons of particulates.

Trees absorb these gaseous pollutants through their leaves during the process of photosynthesis. The loss of trees in our urban areas not only intensifies the urban “heat-island” effect from loss of shade and evaporation, but we lose a principal absorber of carbon dioxide and trapper of other air pollutants as well.

The extent and magnitude of these benefits provides a focus point to understand the importance of trees in urban areas. Picture your city, whether large or small, without trees. Is it still a place where you would want to live?

Landscape property is more desirable than barren property. Trees have been associated with increased value of estates. Tree planting and their care can be viewed as an investment. Increased property values produce direct economic gains to local citizens.

Urban forestry has deep roots and its origin goes way back in history. Muslims are the pioneers of urban forestry. As the Muslims developed new towns in the era of Khula-e-Rashdin and later in Abbasids and Usmanis’ regimes, they emphasized on raising tree plantation in and around the towns.

They also established gardens near the towns for outdoor recreation of the citizens. Muslim history touched its peak and glory during the days of the Abbasiyads and Mughals in central Asia and in the Indian Sub-continent. The rulers of both the dynasties were staunch lovers of trees and greenery. The famous Shalimar Gardens in Lahore and the famous Gardens of Baghdad clearly depict their love and respect for trees.

This approach of such great rulers in history was of course the real and actual foundation for urban forestry. The establishment of such tree gardens in that era inside the big towns and cities was urban forestry in the true sense. So we can call the Muslims the real pioneers of urban forestry.

Urban trees can make a difference in our lives. Each one of us can make a personal contribution. As we develop and apply technologies for a better way of life, often times side-effects adversely affect our natural environment. In our urban areas summer temperatures and noise levels are higher than in the surrounding countryside.

Urbanization and industrialization has also worsened the situation. Underground and river waters are being contaminated with industrial toxic waste materials. Carbon and other industrial emissions are an increasing concern especially with regard to the greenhouse effect and the global climate change. Air pollution problems in our cities and towns which have very few trees are reducing personal health benefits. Urban forestry is the answer to these problems.

Trees on public property belong to all of us. We can act individually to improve our natural environment through the planting and care of trees on our own streets, and by supporting urban forestry programs. Without trees, the city is a concrete, brick, steel and asphalt jungle.

Trees are the symbol of life and prosperity. A tree planted anywhere on the earth enhances the beauty of the landscape and the quality of the environment. We feel better around trees whose shade cools us during hot summer days and virtually makes our environment healthier.

The general purpose of trees in urban areas is to enhance overall environmental quality of places where most people live and work. Unfortunately urban trees throughout Pakistan are in a state of decline. Our urban trees have not been properly cared for, and they are being removed without being replaced.

Much should had been done earlier but it can still be done now with true zeal and spirit to save the future of our coming generations through urban forestry. It is high time the planners rose to the occasion. The civic bodies responsible for city planning should make sure and consider the concept of urban forestry of equal importance to the planning of sewerage, disposal of garbage and water supply in the urban areas.

Trees are indeed a vital part of the urban ecosystem. There are two parts of urban infrastructure — hard and soft. Iron, glass, cement concrete and bricks are the hard part, trees and green spaces are the soft part. We should plan for both. It’s not good business to sacrifice the trees for concrete and bricks. We should not neglect the role of trees in relieving the stress of city life. Trees within towns provide cleansed refreshed air to breathe and enable us to relax.

This has been our dilemma that foresters are consulted at a later stage after the engineers’ work is over. At that stage the forester’s task becomes more difficult and some times, if he has to work in these circumstances, his work may become a threat/hazard for civic facilities and the infrastructures.

While planning for new or old towns, small or metropolitan cities and consulting engineers of all disciplines and town planners, we should not ignore consulting foresters at the planning stage for proper planting and provision of green spaces. Foresters, engineers and town planners must work together from the stage of planning to implementation on the site.

Urban forestry has gained more global importance now than ever before. This is the right time to feel and think that: “No urbanization is complete without urban forestry”. We cannot allow further deterioration of our air and waters. Improvement of our urban forests means improvement of the air that we breathe and improvement of the quality of water that we drink. Both, air and water impact the lives of all of us. Let our future generations grow up under the cool and soothing shade of trees.

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