Independence day GTG: Let's Plant a Tree

[uiv]

This independence day, let's all assemble at some barren ground, and plant one tree per person, to show our real love and affection toward our country and her people.

Please join us at: facebook.com/paktrees

Let's consider Papaya trees for instance:

1. Hardly 100 rupee per 2 feet tall plant, cheaper in bulk.
2. Can be used for fruit and leaves, especially in dengue seasons.
3. Don't need much maintenance, just plenty of water and lots of sun, we have both.
4. They grow up very fast to become a beautiful fruit bearing tree in one year, that's quite rewarding.
5. 5-6 sqfeet area per tree is sufficient for them, so they can be densely planted, with high output per unit area.
6. They're quite beautiful to look at. Imagine a whole farm planted by us next month, wouldn't that be an epic example of our love?

Let us plant a 1000 trees this year. We can effectively give Pakistan a new tree farm in every major city, every year. Imagine how much that'd change. Especially considering current climate changes, floods and droughts.

Do something that'd actually matter, get your hands dirty for your country, make a change. Rolling around in our air-conditioned cars, having some burgers with extra cheese for lunch, and some drag races later- won't do any good, quite the contrary.
We are not United States of America, we don't need pseudo patriotism, we don't need American Dream lies. We are a struggling nation, we need action and results; and I'm afraid an 'Azadi March 'won't deliver that.

Let's live Pakistani Dream. Let's 'be' the change.

Who's with me? Who's up for this? Can we make this happen?
We welcome all suggestions, comments, criticism- as long as it's productive. If you have any expertise, or insight on this subject, please consider it you social, moral and patriotic duty to help us :)

[asim.ijaz]

Sounds like a plan

[nfsmostwanted]

Planting trees is a wayy better option in my opinion @uiv

Even of we're unable to find a place we can plant trees around our home and post the pictures here

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[juadjee]

Great idea @uiv. Taking action which would make a difference rather than being rowdy on the streets is what every one of us should be doing. I fully support this drive and would be doing my best to mobilize some friends out here in Karachi to plant some trees. I'm hoping everyone else will pitch in with their bit too. Don't forget to share pictures.

[Mun33b]

Great idea. A neem plant is even more robust. BTW, is somebody planning independence day GTG in Karachi?

[bango]

The idea seems an absolute no-brainer. Been a while we gave back to the environment.

Here are the things to sort out, I hope we discuss them here.

1. Venue - it can be somewhere at a distance in the wild, but there are dozens of neglected parks within the cities. Parks which have turned into barren cricket grounds, or just dengue breeding points can be utilized for that matter.
2. Tree - we need something which is robust in growth as I don't see anyone maintaining those plants.
3. Permissions - even if you're doing something great, there are committees which come across pointing it can't be done - have to have that prior to those.
4. Purchasing point and transportation.

Lets sort all those issues here so we don't end up having a half baked plan and end up sleeping at home on the 14th.

[uiv]

The idea seems an absolute no-brainer. Been a while we gave back to the environment.

Here are the things to sort out, I hope we discuss them here.

1. Venue - it can be somewhere at a distance in the wild, but there are dozens of neglected parks within the cities. Parks which have turned into barren cricket grounds, or just dengue breeding points can be utilized for that matter.
2. Tree - we need something which is robust in growth as I don't see anyone maintaining those plants.
3. Permissions - even if you're doing something great, there are committees which come across pointing it can't be done - have to have that prior to those.
4. Purchasing point and transportation.

Lets sort all those issues here so we don't end up having a half baked plan and end up sleeping at home on the 14th.

1. Venue:
It depends upon a lot of factors, like: permission, care taking of trees after plantation, kind of tree we're planting, etc.
We can consider road side plantation in under-developed housing societies. Un-managed and neglected parks, as you said. Private lands of volunteers who'd ensure tree protection. I'd like to do public/Govt schools and hospitals. They'd be easy to approach.

2. Tree:
Well it all depends upon the kind of land.
For instance, we have a lot of un-development housing societies with no road side plantation. We can use plant Papaya there. Papaya trees would ensure maximum road beauty with minimum leaves mess and blind spots.
For public playground/parks, we can used thicker, shady trees. I'd prefer some simple fruit bearing trees like Guava or berries. These trees would attract birds as well, that'd add to the beauty.For public schools/hospitals, we can use combination of trees and fruit bearing bushes. Anything that'd suit the venue.

3. Permission:
Ah, the most tricky part. We are an active community of thousands of people with different background. We need as much input as we can from everyone. We can use all kind of connections and link one could provide to sort this out.
One thing to stress at this point is: we are not doing it for anything other than Sadqa-e-Jaria and good faith. There's no personal benefits and no individual gains.

4. Purchasing:
I have a couple of plans in mind:
a. We can follow either buy in bulk from Pattoki and hire a bunch of professional maali to do the job. Members would be urged to come to the venue and be a part of it, but it won't be compulsory. One would get a name tag on the tree they paid for, and its picture on the forum.
b.Everyone buys and carries their own plant to the location, we arrange a nice, big DIY, with the help of some pro maali.

I'd prefer plan A of course, for its simplicity, lesser crowd and responsibility on individual members, lesser purchase hassle and more cost effectiveness. But everything is debateable and suggestions are more than welcome.

[kfateh]

I think you need to do homework first
.
Papaya trees are not long lasting. They will not last for even One decade, so all effort will end as nothing. Plus according to you they need plenty of water but we are suffering from water shortage except in rain/flood seasons.
So my suggestion is to go to some really good and experienced mali and get guidence from him for selection of trees. Different trees are suited to different areas of Pakistan.
Short list only long lasting (100 and above years of expected life) trees according to area where you want to plant trees.
Plus make sure selected trees are good looking and if they give fruits or flowers then it will be a plus point but not necessory.
Plus trees must be laker-hazam and pather-hazam (meaning very ruf and tuf) so that you plant them and forget. They must grow on their own (at max. one year of care must be enough)
.
What you say?

[kfateh]

...
Here are the things to sort out, I hope we discuss them here.

1. Venue -
2. Tree -
3. Permissions -
4. Purchasing point and transportation.

... on the 14th.

1. Venue:
...
2. Tree:
...
3. Permission:
...

4. Purchasing:
...

...But everything is debateable and suggestions are more than welcome.

1. Venue:
Go to govt. and ask them for help. Say "land yours and effort ours". This way you will get a lot of space to fulfill your dreams.
2. Tree:
There are a lot of trees to choose from. Believe me whenever you will start, after a while you will say there are more verity of trees available then land available to you. Because God is such a great creater and artist.
3. Permission:
Govt. Public joint effort will solve this problem
4. Purchasing:
Your suggestions are ok for start.

You agree or disagree in both case your reply is welcome

[kfateh]

This independence day...

I like Papaya and also this photo.

[kfateh]

debate and discussion ka iya howa?

[cursedd]

The idea is great and apreciated. But to clear out few things plants that grow sturdy and requires less look after and water shall be kept in mind.Neem and peepal tree should be considered at first. Also those who are planning to plant trees should see if they can look After it once a week. Like planting trees on those roadways which is used for daily commute so a rough watchover can be done. This will make ourself responsible for a particular time.

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[uiv]

I think you need to do homework first
.
Papaya trees are not long lasting. They will not last for even One decade, so all effort will end as nothing. Plus according to you they need plenty of water but we are suffering from water shortage except in rain/flood seasons.
So my suggestion is to go to some really good and experienced mali and get guidence from him for selection of trees. Different trees are suited to different areas of Pakistan.
Short list only long lasting (100 and above years of expected life) trees according to area where you want to plant trees.
Plus make sure selected trees are good looking and if they give fruits or flowers then it will be a plus point but not necessory.
Plus trees must be laker-hazam and pather-hazam (meaning very ruf and tuf) so that you plant them and forget. They must grow on their own (at max. one year of care must be enough)
.
What you say?

Yes, we need to do a lot of homework. Unfortunately time is too short now and there's not much I know, or can do, about plantation and species of trees.
I only wanted to plant papaya trees if we could get acres of land, with someone to take care later of it, somewhere out side of city, so we could effectively raise a papaya farm with little effort.
Or in the case of private housing societies, where papaya should add to the beauty, without covering too much area and leaving lots of mess for them to worry about. Housing societies tend to prefer such trees. Long life plants and trees are least of their concern because the like to refresh every so often.
Anyway, papaya is probably out. It's too delicate, too fragile, prone to diseases and even human 'attack' in dengue seasons.

What do you think fig trees? But yes, guidance from maali or some pro-plantation body should be helpful.

Thanks for your input

[uiv]

The idea is great and apreciated. But to clear out few things plants that grow sturdy and requires less look after and water shall be kept in mind.Neem and peepal tree should be considered at first. Also those who are planning to plant trees should see if they can look After it once a week. Like planting trees on those roadways which is used for daily commute so a rough watchover can be done. This will make ourself responsible for a particular time.

Neem and peepal are the most suggested ones. We'll definitely go for those. But I am more inclined towards fruit bearing trees. What do you think?

I think fig and jaman tress can do well in full sized tree class. For other suitable places those would do with smaller trees, we can plant guava, shahtoot, even kachnar, etc.

Road side plantation in Lahore would require a lot of background work, that was our first preference as well, but we really don't have time for that now.

[blacklist1]

Count me in. I'd be following this thread if venue gets decided

[anon36782927]

This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden.

[uiv]

Count me in. I'd be following this thread if venue gets decided

Venue is a biggie. Do suggest if you have any place in mind. Any public grounds, govt. schools, hospitals, etc where someone can take care of plants for at least a year- that'd do.

nice idea the neem is good and natural shield to bacterial diseases

Indeed. Neem and jaman are on the top of our list, at the moment.

[uiv]

We need suggestions for the venue. I you have any uncles, friends, neighbors, who own vacant land in the surroundings of Lahore; we can plant them a free of cost papaya farm, provided that they should be able to take care of the farm in the future. In return they'll get to keep all the fruit and products of the farm.
And the great thing about papaya, as mentioned earlier, is their dense cultivation ability, high output per unit area. And it's not that their land would become useless for a century, papaya doesn't live that long, the owner would be able to use/sell the land after 6-8 years.

Besides that, if you have a public park, school, etc nearby; that can do with a dozen or some shady trees, please contact us and we'll do it together.

Please, all people, we need a nice location to make this dream come true.

P.S. Link to facebook page updated.