Varanasi: The forest department will establish a Vande Mataram Vatika in the city on August 15 as part of Plantation Campaign-2026 to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram. The initiative is part of a wider effort to develop thematic forests across the district to promote environmental conservation, public participation, social harmony and cultural values.Divisional forest officer Nidhi Chauhan said that thematic forests were being developed to link plantation drives with public participation while addressing specific ecological and social needs. The ‘Kapi Van’, for instance, is being developed outside urban areas with fruit-bearing trees to help reduce human-monkey conflict.Under the Vande Mataram Vatika initiative, 150 saplings will be planted on Central Jail land in Shivpur. The plantation will include neem, kanji, sheesham, bakain, guava, mango, arjun, salix, siris, jungle jalebi, katsagon and teak. Preference will be given to tree species associated with freedom fighters linked to the Vande Mataram movement.The forest department will also develop a Bhai-Behen Vriksharopan or Rakshabandhan Vatika at Seva Bharati Vidyalaya on August 28, where 2,500 saplings will be planted.On Sept 5 (Teachers’ Day), the ‘Ek Ped Guru Ke Naam’ plantation drive will be held at Seva Bharati Vidyalaya, Buniyadi Sirihira. The initiative aims to honour the guru-shishya tradition while promoting environmental conservation and respect for teachers. Around 2,500 saplings of sheesham, teak, mahua, arjun, neem and jackfruit will be planted.Several thematic forests have already been developed in the district. The ‘Maharishi Charak Aushadhi Van’ at Baradih Gram Samaj and pond area has around 1,600 medicinal plants, including moringa, amla, harad, baheda and neem.A Samaras Van at Ajaipur Gram Samaj has been developed to promote social harmony, with 135 saplings of mango, neem, jamun and moringa. The Samriddhi Van at Sirihira Gram Samaj has 2,500 saplings of teak, sheesham, mango, mahua, mahogany and guava and focuses on agroforestry, industrial species and environmental conservation.The Kapi Van at Domri Deeh Baba Talab, Karsada, has 2,500 fruit-bearing saplings, including barhal, mango, jamun, guava, bel, gular, jackfruit, peepal, mulberry and fig, aimed at creating a green zone away from urban habitation and reducing human-monkey conflict.An Urja Van has also been developed at Thane Gram Samaj to address concerns linked to the global energy crisis. Around 2,500 fast-growing saplings of siris, babul, gutel and kadamb have been planted to support sustainable fuelwood availability.Chauhan said the thematic forests would promote environmental conservation, public participation, social harmony, health, prosperity and awareness about nature, helping create a balanced and sustainable socio-environmental system.
