KARACHI: More than 60 volunteers, environmental advocates and students from Rehri Goth took part in a mangrove plantation drive at Toor Creek in the Indus Delta, as Mera Karachi Group stepped up efforts to promote coastal protection and environmental awareness in the city.
The initiative was organised with support from the Sindh Forest Department, Caritas Pakistan and Ecolife, and focused on restoring mangrove cover while engaging local communities in long-term conservation efforts.
Students from Rehri Goth, a fishing community along Karachi’s coastal belt, were among those participating in the plantation activity.
Organisers said the involvement of young people from coastal communities was aimed at building awareness about the importance of mangroves and the role they play in protecting livelihoods, marine ecosystems and vulnerable shorelines.
Mangrove forests are considered a key natural defence for coastal areas. Their dense root systems help reduce erosion, trap sediments and lessen the impact of storm surges and coastal flooding.
They also provide breeding and nursery grounds for fish, shrimp, crabs and other marine life, making their health closely linked to the livelihoods of fishing communities along Karachi’s coast.
The plantation drive also drew attention to wider environmental pressures facing the city’s coastline, including rapid urbanisation, pollution, untreated wastewater, habitat degradation and climate-related risks.
Mera Karachi Group said environmental protection required sustained participation from government institutions, civil society, local communities, educational institutions and the private sector.
Syed Imran Ahmad, founder of the group, called on businesses in Karachi to play a larger role through long-term environmental programmes rather than limiting corporate social responsibility initiatives to one-off activities.
He said companies could support mangrove restoration through funding, maintenance, monitoring, employee volunteering and partnerships with schools and coastal communities.
The group said a broader partnership involving government, businesses and local communities could help turn occasional plantation campaigns into sustained coastal restoration efforts.
Mera Karachi Group also plans to hold another mangrove plantation drive in October, with organisers hoping to attract greater participation from residents, educational institutions and the corporate sector.
The group said protecting Karachi’s coastline should be treated as a shared responsibility because mangroves support coastal resilience, biodiversity, marine livelihoods and climate adaptation.
It also thanked the Sindh Forest Department, Caritas Pakistan, Ecolife, volunteers and students for taking part in the initiative.
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