Beyond Miyawaki: Gujarat's indigenous 'Van Kavach' model powers Amit Shah's Hariyali Lok Sabha vision
Gandhinagar, July 10
Exactly six decades after renowned Gujarati poet Jinabhai Desai, also known as Snehrashmi, introduced the Japanese poetic form of haiku into Gujarati literature while remaining faithful to the spirit and 17-syllable structure of the original, Gujarat has once again embraced another Japanese innovation, the Miyawaki forest plantation model, but with a distinctly indigenous adaptation.
According to a press release from the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office, as part of Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah's ambitious Gandhinagar Hariyali Lok Sabha campaign, more than 1.25 crore saplings will be planted across the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Of these, nearly 60 lakh saplings will be planted by the Forest Department across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts using the Van Kavach model, Gujarat's Indianised version of the Japanese Miyawaki model. Designed specifically for local ecological conditions, the model seeks to transform degraded landscapes into self-sustaining native ecosystems by combining scientific land restoration with biodiversity conservation.
Amit Shah has decided to make his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency the greenest in the country. A total of 1.25 crore saplings will be planted across the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency this year.
"A total of 82 Van Kavach sites will be developed under Amit Shah's Gandhinagar Hariyali Lok Sabha project, covering 600 hectares across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. Among them, Gujarat's largest Maha Van Kavach is being developed over 100 hectares at Godhavi village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad," Vinod Rao, Principal Secretary, Forests and Environment Department, Gujarat, said.
The Van Kavach initiative has expanded rapidly since its launch in 2023. The programme began with plantations covering 100 hectares. Encouraged by its performance, the Forest Department expanded the coverage to 200 hectares during 2024-25 and 400 hectares during 2025-26, taking the cumulative area developed under the model to 600 hectares by 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' and called upon everyone, in India and around the world, to plant a tree in the coming days as a tribute to your mother.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Gujarat government has launched a massive tree plantation drive to increase the state's green cover, the press release stated.
"Building on this success, the Forest Department now plans to establish 500 new Van Kavach sites across Gujarat during 2026-27. This year, more than half of the proposed 1,100 hectares of new plantations under the Van Kavach initiative, 600 hectares will be developed within the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency alone," Vinod Rao added.
"The original Miyawaki method, developed for Japan's conifer-dominated forests, involves planting three to five saplings per square metre. The dense planting creates intense competition for sunlight, water and nutrients, allowing only the strongest trees to survive and enabling rapid forest development within three to five years. A typical Miyawaki plantation may initially contain nearly 50,000 saplings per hectare before natural competition gradually reduces the surviving population," a senior forest officer said.
According to forest officials, ecologists observed that directly replicating the Japanese model may not be suitable for India's native tree species. Many indigenous trees develop broad canopies and extensive root systems that spread both vertically and laterally. Extremely dense planting can lead to excessive root competition, restricting healthy growth and reducing the long-term stability of plantations.
To overcome these limitations, the Gujarat Forest Department developed the Van Kavach model, which adopts wider spacing while retaining the ecological principles of natural forest regeneration. The model plants approximately one tree per square metre, ensuring that large-canopy species maintain at least two metres of separation. The additional space enables trees to receive adequate sunlight, moisture and nutrients, allowing them to mature naturally into multi-layered forests.
According to officials, the model also differs significantly in soil preparation. Unlike the Miyawaki technique, which often involves replacing soil across an entire site, Van Kavach disturbs only the planting pits while preserving the natural soil profile. Around 10,000 pits are prepared per hectare, including larger and smaller pits to accommodate different native species. This enables tree roots to penetrate deeper into undisturbed soil, providing stronger anchorage, an important advantage in Gujarat, where cyclones and high winds are becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change.
Another distinguishing feature of Van Kavach is its emphasis on recreating natural forest structure rather than simply increasing tree cover. The plantations are designed with upper-canopy, middle-storey and lower-storey species, closely resembling the architecture of natural forests. This layered vegetation improves habitat diversity and creates favourable conditions for birds, butterflies, pollinating insects, reptiles, mammals and countless soil microorganisms.
The initiative places particular emphasis on indigenous biodiversity. Instead of relying on a limited number of fast-growing plantation species, the Forest Department is planting native trees that have evolved alongside Gujarat's wildlife over thousands of years. These species are naturally adapted to local climatic conditions, require fewer external inputs and are expected to develop into self-sustaining forest ecosystems over time, the press release said.
Forest officials said the programme aims to improve wildlife habitat, restore degraded landscapes, enhance carbon sequestration, improve soil health, conserve moisture and strengthen climate resilience across the region.
— ANI
Reader Comments
1.25 crore saplings is a huge number! But I have one concern - who will water them during the dry months? In Gujarat, water is scarce. I hope the authorities have a proper maintenance plan in place. Planting is just the first step; survival rate should be the real metric. Let's see how many of these become actual forests in 5 years. 🤔
The poet Snehrashmi connection is beautiful! Just like he adapted haiku to Gujarati, we're now adapting Miyawaki to Indian conditions. This is what true innovation looks like - respecting local context. The wider spacing makes perfect sense for our native trees like banyan and peepul. Hope other states learn from this Gujarat model. Van Kavach is a great name too! 🌳🇮🇳
I appreciate the scientific approach - reducing root competition and preserving natural soil profile. But I wish this wasn't tied to a politician's constituency. Why can't environmental initiatives be purely apolitical? The work is good, but the "Amit Shah's Hariyali Lok Sabha vision" branding makes it feel like a publicity stunt. Let the forests speak for themselves without the political labels.
As someone from a village near Gandhinagar, I can tell you that we desperately need this. Our groundwater levels have been dropping and summers are getting hotter every year. Even if 60% of these saplings survive, it'll be a game-changer for our area. The Van Kavach model's emphasis on deep-rooted native species is perfect for cyclone-prone Gujarat. Well done! 👏
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