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Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo 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. '
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
‘Turtle nesting rises in Chennai as conservation efforts show results in Tamil Nadu'
Although Chennai saw Olive Ridley sea turtle deaths, huge compared to last year, situation has improved now, as the number of nests increased from 320 in 2024 to 450 this year and the number of eggs went up from 30,000 to 50,000, said Manish Meena, Wildlife Warden, Chennai Division. 'A joint patrolling with Sagar Mitras (a field-level interface between the government and coastal fishers), Fisheries department, Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Security Group of the Tamil Nadu Police was held to protect the turtles within the five nautical miles area where normal trawler fishing is prohibited. With the cooperation of the fishermen and the stakeholders, the turtles were protected. In one case, 16 live turtles were saved from a trawl boat and released back into the ocean,' he said. This was said at the event held to mark International Day of Biodiversity by Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation And Greening Project For Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR), Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board (TNBB), Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), National Biodiversity Authority and NGO Care Earth Trust on Thursday at the Amma Maaligai auditorium in Ripon Buildings complex. The theme was 'harmony with nature and sustainable development'. Migratory Bird Monitoring Trust (MBMT) managing trustee S. Balachandran emphasised on bird diversity, focussing on Central Asian Flyway and the importance of Tamil Nadu as a stopover for birds in his speech. Care Earth Trust founding-trustee R.J Ranjith Daniels said, earlier, the people of Tamil Nadu were aware of ways to live along with all living beings, despite being among the advanced civilisations during iron age. The programme also features songs of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati on natural resources and biodiveristy, a dance performance inspired by Irular community by Coimbatore-based school students and alumni and a musical performance by Kerala-based group Vayali. A press release mentioned the formation of over 13,600 Biodiversity Management Committees and the preparation of People's Biodiversity Registers in each.
