Gujarat scales up ‘Van Kavach’ forest model, 600 hectares planned in Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar, July 10 (IANS) Gujarat will expand its indigenous ‘Van Kavach’ afforestation model to cover 1,100 hectares during 2026-27, with more than half of the new plantations concentrated in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency as part of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Green Lok Sabha initiative, according to the state Forest Department.

The programme includes the development of Gujarat’s largest “Maha Van Kavach,” spanning over 100 hectares in Godhavi village near Ahmedabad.

Under the wider Green Lok Sabha campaign, 1.25 crore saplings are planned across the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency, of which around 60 lakh will be planted by the Forest Department in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts using the Van Kavach model.

The state government said the initiative builds on the nationwide “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” tree plantation campaign launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Gujarat has also intensified plantation efforts through programmes such as Van Mahotsav under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

The Van Kavach model was developed by the Forest Department as a locally adapted alternative to the Japanese Miyawaki afforestation technique.

According to the department, the model has been designed for Gujarat’s ecological conditions by combining scientific soil improvement with biodiversity conservation to restore degraded land into self-sustaining native ecosystems.

Principal Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department, Vinod Rao, said: “Under Amit Shah’s Gandhinagar Green Lok Sabha Project, a total of 82 ‘Van Kavach’ sites covering 600 hectares will be developed across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. Of these, Gujarat’s largest ‘Maha Van Kavach’ is being developed over 100 hectares at Godhavi village near Ahmedabad.”

Rao said the Forest Department first introduced the Van Kavach model across more than 100 hectares in 2023.

The area was expanded to 200 hectares during 2024-25 and to 400 hectares in 2025-26. By 2026, the cumulative area developed under the model had reached 600 hectares.

He added, “Based on the success of the Van Kavach model, the Forest Department will establish 500 new Van Kavach sites across Gujarat during 2026-27. This year, of the proposed 1,100 hectares of new plantations under the Van Kavach initiative, more than half, 600 hectares, will be developed in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency alone.”

Forest officials said the Van Kavach model differs from the Miyawaki technique in both planting density and site preparation.

While the Miyawaki method typically plants three to five saplings per square metre to encourage rapid forest growth through natural competition, Van Kavach uses approximately one tree per square metre, maintaining greater spacing between large native species to support healthier long-term growth.

Officials said the approach reflects the growth characteristics of India’s indigenous trees, many of which develop broad canopies and extensive root systems.

Greater spacing allows trees to receive sufficient sunlight, moisture and nutrients while reducing root competition and encouraging the gradual formation of naturally layered forests.

The department also said the model preserves the soil’s natural condition by preparing only the planting pits, rather than replacing soil across the entire site.

Around 10,000 pits are prepared per hectare, with pit sizes varying by native species. This allows roots to penetrate undisturbed soil, improving tree stability during storms and strong winds.

According to forest officials, Van Kavach plantations are designed to replicate the structure of natural forests by incorporating upper-canopy, middle-storey and lower-storey vegetation.

The department said this layered structure is intended to improve habitats for birds, butterflies, pollinating insects, reptiles, mammals and soil microorganisms while supporting biodiversity.

The Forest Department said the initiative prioritises indigenous tree species that are naturally suited to Gujarat’s climate and require limited external inputs.

It added that the programme aims to restore degraded land, improve wildlife habitats, increase carbon sequestration, enhance soil health, conserve moisture and strengthen climate resilience over the long term.

–IANS

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