Cities for forests campaign launched

BANGALORE: Students from different schools, colleges and volunteers from different organisations were seen holding placards reading ‘Cities for Forests: save our lungs’ at the launch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) campaign, ‘Cities for Forests’ in Cubbon park on Saturday.The campaign organised by WWF, in association with State Horticulture Department, BCIL, Red Cross Society and Cubbon Park Mitra Sangha forms a part of the global campaign for raising awareness on the intrinsic link between forests and human well being.A participant in the campaign, Divya, a first year environmental science student, St Joseph’s college said, “Most of us do not realise the importance of trees and green cover. We are just beginning to spread the message across. We will go on spreading the message about the importance of urban forests and green space within cities in our locality.” Jasbir Singh, a voluntary participant and a member of the Cubbon Park Mitra Sangha said, “Everyday we see trees being chopped off.Everyone of us witnessed the huge number of trees which were brought down for the purpose of metro construction.We should realise that greenery is an major concern not just for us, but for our generations to come,” said Speaking to The New Indian Express, Cynthia Sinclair, Programme Coordinator, WWF (Karnataka Region) said, “Through this campaign we are aiming at mobilising youths and NGOs for raising awareness about the importance of forest for city dwellers. The campaign will be on till October first week, the week commemorated world over as wildlife week.” Students from Mount Carmel College, St Josephs’ College, Purna Pragnya Vidyaniketan, Army Public School and Parikrama were among the major participants. Similar campaigns have been launched simultaneously across 20 major cities in the country.