Leading industrialist and environmentalist Viral Desai, popularly known as Greenman, is developing a large-scale urban forest at Sarthana Nature Park in Surat as part of his efforts to strengthen the city’s green cover and biodiversity.
The initiative was announced during a tree plantation drive organised at the park on June 15. Desai said more than 7,500 trees have been successfully planted and nurtured at the site in the last few years. The next phase of the drive will focus on transforming the area into a modern urban forest, which will be developed and implemented in two phases.
Speaking on the occasion, Viral Desai said, “My association with Sarthana Nature Park spans more than seven years. Our objective has always been to create a thriving ecosystem for wildlife and birds within an urban environment. The proposed urban forest will be developed in two phases and will contribute towards strengthening Surat’s environmental landscape while creating vital green lungs for the city.”
According to Desai, the project will enhance ecological sustainability within Surat by increasing green cover, improving air quality and creating a natural habitat for birds and other species. The initiative is also expected to support biodiversity conservation and contribute to climate resilience in the region.
Over the years, Desai has led several environmental campaigns focused on afforestation, climate action and sustainable urban development. He has also developed around eight urban forests across Surat city. The planned urban forest at Sarthana Nature Park is expected to become an important ecological asset for the city.