Lahore teen leads drive to fight smog with Miyawaki Forests

At just 17, Amin Haroon is tackling one of Lahore’s biggest challenges: toxic air. Through his initiative Amnverse, the teenager has planted more than 83,000 trees across Lahore and Gujranwala using the Miyawaki method, a Japanese technique that creates dense, fast-growing forests, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Every winter, Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses 1,000, forcing schools and offices to shut down. “We couldn’t just wait for government action,” Amin told 24News TV channel. “We needed a local solution.”

From RUDA Plot to Citywide Movement

Amnverse’s first forest was planted in 2021 near RUDA on barren land. Within months, the area turned into a thriving green pocket alive with birds and insects. Encouraged by this success, Amin expanded to Mayo Hospital, Aitchison College, Trinity School, CBD Lahore, Bedian, Halloki, and Gujranwala.

Some sites have already seen trees grow up to three metres high in just a year, improving air quality, lowering local temperatures, and boosting biodiversity.

Focus on Survival, Not Just Plantation

Unlike typical tree-planting drives, Amnverse ensures long-term care. Schools adopt forests, students track growth data, and families return to water saplings. Corporate sponsors and individual donors fund plantations, with options to dedicate trees in memory of loved ones.

Each sapling, including three years of care, costs around PKR 750–1,000. “We don’t just plant and leave,” Amin said. “We make sure every tree survives.”

Expansion Plans

After successes in Lahore and Gujranwala, Amnverse is preparing to expand to Multan and other cities, where tree cover is even lower and the effects of heat and smog are severe.

With thousands of fast-growing urban forests already taking root, Amin Haroon is proving that youth-led climate action can offer practical solutions to Pakistan’s pollution crisis.