While oil spills and the cutting of mangroves have led to a decline in the numbers of trees, the current exercise will not only increase those numbers, but also raise awareness about conservation and rehabilitation of forests. - File photo

KARACHI The Sindh forest department and the federal environment ministry are all set to make July 15 a memorable day in the history of Pakistan by engaging about 300 planters in planting about 450,000 propagules of mangroves on a barren island near Keti Bandar, Thatta.

The eco-friendly mangrove planting activity is aimed at setting a new world record, with Pakistani authorities hoping to beat the record set by India earlier this year, when 447,874 saplings were planted in a 24 hour period.

The Secretary of Sindh's Forest and Wildlife department, Mushtaq Memon, told Dawn that relevant preparations for the 'gala event' had been finalised for July 15, when 300 planters belonging to the community living in the Keti Bandar area would begin planting mangroves with the sunrise and would continue till the sunset, in the presence of a number of government dignitaries, members of civil society and the media, folk performers, singers and residents of the coastal belt.

He said that the proposed planting of mangroves on an area of roughly 750 acres was significant in the context of the devastating South Asian tsunami.

'As part of the ongoing national year of the environment, we had planned to break an earlier record for the planting of 348,493 trees by Mexico on August 29-30, 2008, but quite recently we had to change the target as India created a new Guinness World Record of tree planting in June 2009,' he added.

As many as 300 troops of the 21 Jat Regiment had planted 447,874 saplings in a cycle of 24 hours on June 12 and 13 at Shrigram Reserve Forest, Dhubri, Assam, which won India a world record in tree planting.

'Since we do not need to dig a pit for the planting of the species of tree we have chosen, under a new formula set by the Guinness Book of World Records, we must avail only natural daylight, and not use artificial lights,' Mr Memon said, adding that planters would likely begin work at 6am and finish by 8.30pm.

The secretary said that during the process of selection various potential sites were considered, but finally from the large swathe of coastline from Karachi to Sir Creek, Keti Bandar was chosen.

The selected site, consisting of mudflats, was suitable for planting mangroves (Rhizophora mucronata), and was chosen on the basis of suitability for rearing and growing mangrove trees, he added, saying that a highly supportive community would also be available to maintain the plantation in the later stage.

A publicity and media campaign is already in progress under the federal environment ministry with the support of the National Bank of Pakistan.

Mr Memon, giving details of planned events, said that about 160 media men from Karachi and other parts of the province and country were expected to cover the planting event, while the chief minister and the governor of Sindh and a few ministers had also been invited to witness the day's proceedings at Keti Bandar.

Favorable weather conditions have been forecast, while high tide is expected from 1pm to 4pm and as such workers would have enough time to start planting in the low-lying areas and get out of the high tide line safely, he added.

The event will be supervised by designated observers and witnesses from the Guinness Book of World Records.

The event, besides winning an esteemed position in the record book, is aimed at involving the nearby population in eco-conservation and income generation.

At some later stage, when the mangroves gain in strength, a number of the people will be entrusted with the job of monitoring the forest on payments, the secretary said.

It is learnt that the propagules in question are about 18-inch-long, while planters will plant almost half of the whole.

The 300 planters will be divided into 15 groups of 20 planters each and each group will be supervised by one forest manager and will be facilitated by other designated persons, who will not participate in the planting.

In Sindh, mangroves of the Indus delta exist in Thatta, Badin and Karachi districts. The presently found species are known as Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, Aegiceras corniculatum and Ceriops tagal, which covered a total area of 607,344 hectares owned by the Sindh forest department, the Sindh Board of Revenue, the Port Qasim Authority, the Karachi Port Trust and others.

Experts feel that while oil spills and the cutting of mangroves for firewood have led to a decline in the numbers of mangrove trees, the current exercise will aid not only in increasing those numbers, but also in raising awareness about conservation and rehabilitation of forests.