These woods are lovely, dark and deep
Adyar Poonga
With a green cover around 10%, Chennai stands almost at the bottom of the list of cities in India. However, the number of urban forests and community driven initiatives is slowly but steadily going up, Dr M S Swaminathan Wetland Eco Park in Porur being the latest.
On environment action month, here's a lowdown on some of the best urban forests of Chennai.
NANMANGALAM RESERVE FOREST
HIGHLIGHT | Rare insectivorous plants
It is spread over 274ha across Tambaram, Alandur and Velachery. Once destroyed by extensive mining, the area was taken over by the Tamil Nadu forest department in the 1960s and restored, planting trees and allowing natural regeneration. 'Three ponds and seven abandoned quarries now collect rainwater for cattle and wildlife,' says forest range officer C Vidyapathi.
'You can spot the rare Eurasian eagle owl here, the only place in South India where it can be seen.
' The Pallikkaranai marshland nearby has waterbodies that attract migratory birds. 'It's the only forest in Chennai where insectivorous plants such as Drosera indica and ground orchids occur naturally,' says Jayashree Vencatesan of Care Earth Trust, an organisation engaged in biodiversity conservation. Check dams and percolation ponds have raised the water table in nearby residential areas.
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The forest also feeds three lakes. In 2019, 18ha of eucalyptus was cleared and replaced with native species, says Vidyapathi. 'Another 100 acres will be restored.'
Status | Open; an ecopark is planned to promote forest conservation
Entry | Permitted with forest department approval for birdwatching and nature walks
KOTTURPURAM URBAN FOREST
HIGHLIGHT | Community engagement
This lush forest situated alongside the Adyar river next to the Kotturpuram bridge was once a massive waste dump.
The public works department approached NGO Nizhal to help convert the 4.5 acres into an urban forest, and over 19 years, 1,000 trees and shrubs, including 250 varieties of indigenous species, were planted. 'There wasn't even a worm here, but now you can see Indian pitta, drongo, paradise flycatcher and congregations of flying foxes.
A loyal group of volunteers help maintain the park,' says Shobha Menon, founder of Nizhal.
The success of the Kotturpuram forest led to similar projects such as the Madhavaram Urban Forest in the Tanuvas area and Chitilapakkam Neer Vanam, both with more than 200 trees, and Thiruvanmiyur-Taramani Urban Forest on OMR, also built on a dump site.
Status | Open
Entry | Free: 6am-8am; 4pm 7pm
GUINDY NATIONAL PARK
HIGHLIGHT | Blackbucks
Probably the only national park situated in a metropolitan area and where blackbuck, a Schedule-1 species, roam about undisturbed, the 270-acre patch of green is host to 350 plant species.
'We regularly remove invasive plants and plant indigenous grassland species for blackbuck,' says wildlife warden Manish Meena. 'Eucalyptus has also been replaced with native trees.' The park is so densely biodiverse with birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies and insects that it has not been fully explored.
The park has four types of ponds that fill during monsoons and recharge groundwater in nearby residential areas.
'But to protect flora and fauna, only educational and conservation tours are allowed in core areas with permission,' says Manish.
Status | Open
Entry | Allowed with the permission of the forest department
ADYAR POONGA
Highlight | Creek ecosystem
The only urban forest in the city with a creek ecosystem, water spread was just 5% when restored in 2011 which has since increased 250%. The ongoing phase 2 facilitates more rainwater flow and includes mangrove planting.
Over the years, second and third generation plantations have come up in the creek area, and the number of species has increased from 40 to 440. The recreational features that are part of the revamp, including a skywalk that 'leads nowhere' and the 5km concrete pathways have raised questions.
But authorities say green cover will still occupy 75% of the area and visitor limits will remain at 100.
Status | Closed for renovation
WHAT CONSERVATIONISTS SAY:
'These are the only remnants of the original vegetation of Chennai. They can be equated to heritage sites and should be protected,' says Jayashree Vencatesan of Care Earth Trust. Urban areas need to help solve challenges such as water pollution, flooding and heat stress, says Jagdish Krishnaswamy, Indian Institute for Human Settlements in Bengaluru. 'Opportunities for some recreational and educational services can be planned later, rather than orienting the urban forests towards recreation and manicured spaces without thinking of biodiversity and ground-water recharge.
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