Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Elamakkara has become the first school in Ernakulam that has planted Miyawaki forest with around 350 saplings in a 2 cent plot inside the school premises. This  new endeavor was inaugurated on 13 December, by Adv. M.Anilkumar, Mayor, Kochi and Shri E Ramankutty, Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi Kendra. Environmental activists, Shri. Purushothama Kammath and Shri. Manoj Edavanakkad were also present on this auspicious occasion.

This Miyawaki forest has been planted in a special way with proper spacing using the  Miyawaki technique, which was propounded by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. It is a method of sowing very young seedlings close together in small plots of land, to create a dense native forest within 3-5 years. The method has found favour among those who want to restore vegetation on degraded land within a short term. This tiny forest is self-sustaining and can protect its surroundings by lowering temperature, reducing air and noise pollution and attracting local birds and insects. It can absorb carbon from the atmosphere creating ‘carbon sinks’.

The Young Indians Organization, Kochi Chapter and Mathrubhumi Seed Club members of Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir,Elamakkara jointly contributed towards the same.

Smt. Sunitha S, Principal, Smt. Sreejyothi N, Vice Principal, Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Elamakkara Seed Club Co-ordinators- Smt. Tessy S. John, Smt. Suseela Gopinathan, Smt. Beena George, PTA members, teachers and students were also present.