Miyawaki forest and Maze garden

Why is in news? Miyawaki forest and Maze garden to be new attractions at Statue of Unity

PM Modi will dedicate two more tourist attractions - a Maze (labyrinth) Garden and Miyawaki Forest - at Ekta Nagar.

Maze garden:

A system of paths separated by walls or hedges built in a park or garden, that is designed so that it is difficult to find your way through, a confusing network of intercommunicating paths or passages; labyrinth

Sprawling in three acres with a pathway of 2,100 metres, this is the largest maze garden in the country andhas been developed in a short span of just eight months.

The Maze Garden at Kevadia has been built in the shape of 'Yantra' that emanates positive energy.

The key objective for choosing this design was to bring about a symmetry while focusing on building an intricate network of pathways.

The rejuvenation of this barren land has not only beautified the surrounding but also helped establish a vibrant ecosystem where birds, butterflies and honeybees are thriving now.

Miyawaki Forest:

The Miyawaki Forest will be another tourist attraction for people visiting Ekta Nagar.

This forest is named after the technique developed by Japanese botanist and ecologist Dr Akira Miyawaki to plant saplings of various species are planted close to each other which develops into a dense urban forest.

The growth of plants is ten times faster using this method and as a result the forest developed is thirty times denser.

Through the Miyawaki method, a forest can be developed in just two to three years while it takes at least 20 to 30 years through the traditional method.

The Miyawaki Forest will include the following divisions:Native Floral Garden; Timber Garden; Fruit Garden; Medicinal Garden; A Miyawaki section of mixed species ;Digital Orientation Centre.

Other major tourist destinations at Statue of Unity include include Tent City; Theme based Parks such as Arogya Van (Herbal Garden), Butterfly Garden, Cactus Garden, Vishwa Van, The Valley of Flowers (Bharat Van), Unity glow garden, Children Nutrition Park, Jungle Safari (state-of-art zoological park) among others.