EVSFIELD REPORT ARAVALI BIODIVERSITY PARK Vatsal Sapra BMS 1-E 16191 go to Madhyanchal which is right outside the gate. A friend had mentioned the name once. so carry water and snacks. another was living nearby. You can enter the park from the Vasant Vihar market side (park at the end of the Modern school road) or from the TERI university side.INTRODUCTION Living in Delhi is not easy. I had read a lot about the trails and had planned to explore a few. Delhi has lakes and a monumental river. It’s a Madhya Pradesh bhawan. I take parks very seriously. The park is huge. Or one has to be a in a mood for solitude. to the extent that I love hotels because they have bathtubs. what do you do? You make do with what you have and explore them all over and over again. we all know how they are doing. But the government is worried about law and order. Once you enter. fursat and saath to enjoy a park. It seemed like a repeat of the Feroz Shah Kotla fort episode. But it seems I had missed one. We didn’t do the whole walk. but I go there because I am so cheap. If you have kids. If you take the latter route. take at least two. There was a massive gorge that my brilliant but humble phone has not done any justice to. The park was almost deserted in the afternoon. I didn’t know much about the trees. A few joggers crossed us once in a while but it seemed we had the whole park to ourselves. . The geography itself was quite beautiful. because all the trails were closed. It has to be the most perfect combination of mausam. I have previously written about the need for an all night park in Delhi. But as it happens. I love waterbodies. One evening. So. But we didn’t mind much. but whatever we saw of it is worth going back to. the caretaker had locked it all and gone on a leave. we went to the park under the former circumstances. We didn’t spot any animals apart from a few peacocks. you will be surprised to see that such a green heaven exists within the city. Aravali Biodiversity Park. The food is ok. which I am sure would have been a long one. but someone who did will lose his sanity here. so they don’t bother you. May be. We have quite a few parks. . it’s worth it. They didn’t seem to be for renting out but I sincerely hope that happens someday.We came across a few tents inside the park. Below there were women collecting firewood and above the planes kept descending and ascending from the airport nearby. Go there once. South Central and Southern Ridges. The Center for Environment Management & Degraded Ecosystem (Delhi University) is working closely with the Delhi Development Authority and has plans to revive native flora and Fauna of Aravalli hill ranges. Babul (Acacia nilotica). Planting of native species like Dhau (Anogeissus pendula). A Rangeland with native grasses has been developed. jogging. gardening. Central. Parakeets. development and maintenance. however one can easily take short detours towards the horizontal boundaries where small pockets of wetlands make up for some good bird watching . . The Aravali Biodiversity Park was once a site for mining. Coppersmiths. trekking.Red Whiskered Bulbuls. The Aravali Biodiversity Park was declared open by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on June 5th 2010.and Dhak (Butea monosperma) etc. The land was devoid of any natural growth due to extensive mining of the area. A pristine natural space where nature and people merge into a beautiful natural landscape… The area often frequented by the villagers and construction workers would not see as much wildlife save for Peacocks. has been carried out. bird watching.8 sq km) on the South Central Delhi Ridge within the Aravalli Range.BASIC INFORMATION The Aravali Biodiversity Park is spread over 692 acres (2. A conservatory of butterflies. Every year a substantial amount of money is spent in restoration. Delhi Development Authority and University of Delhi under a joint programme. on World Environment Day. The range extends from Gujarat through Rajasthan to Haryana-Delhi. Once developed. It will be a place for leisure walks. Kair (Capparis decidua). orchidarium and fernary has been developed. contemplation and cultural expression. Mynahs and Cuckoos as the area is quite small. the Aravali Biodiversity Park would give the citizens of Gurgaon access to 600 acres of pristine space and connect them to nature. It is believed that Aravallis are one of the oldest mountain ranges in India which evolved around 1500 million years ago. Biodiversity Parks Programme maintains the area. In Delhi the spurs of the Aravallis are commonly known as the Delhi Ridge which is sub-divided into the Northern. Wren Warblers & the Ashy Prinias easily seen. .flitting across the bushes making it a rich place for nature and a great reservoir for photographers as well. . rare ayurvedic plants." Hussain said. Like all forest reserves.000 different species of plants. since the plantation began in 2005.DATA ANALYSIS From a barren piece of land in 2004 to a lushgreen sanctuary hosting birds. the Aravalli Biodiversity Park is the most incredible ecological transformation that Delhi has seen so far. recharging ground water and promoting cloud formation and local precipitation. birds and insects) . Spread across 692 acres of land. to acting as dust traps. "The park plays a significant role in the conservation of the capital's environment." said Dr M. this park also maintains three-level food chain system. the park in Vasant Vihar is currently hosting 20 distinct forest communities (group of tress). different types of grass and herbs and 15 to 20 species of plants that pump oxygen into the atmosphere. the forest's existence is largely responsible for the smooth proceedings of many natural events. mammals. Shah Hussain." the ecologist said. reptiles. 190 species of birds. ecologist and scientist in-charge of the park. . herbivorous and carnivorous beings (animals. the biodiversity park has become a home for over 1. "Every single forest community accommodates three levels of food chain . Each of the 20 forest communities in the park include around five to six rare trees.plants. 90 species of butterflies and over a lakh species of insects and 24 species of reptiles.to maintain the natural balance of the habitat. "In approximately eight years. From cutting carbon dioxide and other gas emissions. butterflies and other insects. snakes. chameleons and mammals like jackals. porcupines and . blue bulls.The sanctuary is also home to reptiles such as monitor lizards. others. "At this point. 75 to 100 species of trees that flower in different seasons will be planted. Till eight years ago. The tropical rain forest will be created in a series of interconnected pits extended to a length of 500-600 metres and depth varying between 40 and 100 metres. we do encourage educational trips into the park. the south-central ridge (now the park) was barren land used for mining of mica. We plan to open certain sections of the park for the people but that will not happen before 2015-2016." said Hussain. "The cactus house will include a collection of rare cactus species. the DDA decided to develop the area into a biodiversity park and today it's the green pride of the Capital. an arboreta (a garden where many different types of tree are grown. the Supreme Court issued an order forbidding the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) from allowing any construction activity in the region. said Hussain." he added. an orchard. Other highlights of the park are a bat cave. However. a fernery and a medicinal plants conservatory. china clay and gravel. for people to look at or for scientific study). a butterfly garden. . a cactus house. sandstone. In 2004. the park is only meant to preserve various life forms and is not open for public. The ecologist said there are plans to develop a rock garden. in 1996. However. In the arboreta. a tropical rain forest and a conservatory of bulbous and tuberous plants. The width will vary between 100 and 200 metres. According to the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE). lemon and other citrus fruits. Hussain said butterflies are incapable of surviving in extreme temperatures as they are sensitive to both heat and cold. some of them extremely rare and breathtakingly beautiful. can also be found in this garden. Shah Hussain. which had started disappearing from the city a few years ago. the smallest butterfly in the world. The park has played a major role in bringing back the butterflies which had started disappearing from the city. It is the first-of-its-kind butterfly garden which boasts of hosting rare species such as Lime Butterfly. The CEMDE maintains regular supply of water in the garden in order to control the level of humidity. when the garden has just been started. nerium and bael tree attract maximum number of butterflies. barely 14 species of butterflies could be sighted there." said Dr M. The Aravalli Biodiversity Park in Vasant Vihar has become the new home of butterflies. ageratum also called white weed. "The garden has 450 host plants which have been helpful in attracting over 90 different species of butterflies. The Grass Jewel. curry leaf tree.Butterflies find a new home They may not visit your garden anymore but the butterflies are very much there in the Capital. . According to biologists at CEMDE. Indian Fritillary and Striped Tiger. their garden is hosting about 90 species of butterflies. asclepias or milk weed varieties. In 2005. ecologist and scientist in-charge at the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. We have deliberately conserved weeds and wild grass to make a perfect habitat for these day-flying insects. We started growing host plants and some varieties of weeds which supported butterflies. research and effort."The transition has taken a lot of time." Hussain said. We continue to follow the same routine even today. We also collected caterpillars from the plants and shifted them to a butterfly nursery where they were preserved till they turned in to fully grown butterflies and then they were released outside. . including monitor lizards and snakes. Cities often have parks and impressive ones at that. Each community has five to six species in the top layer.city parks are manicured with walks. The once-barren landscape has been transformed into a thriving wilderness of Delhi. a nature reserve.grass lawns. I was told Delhi is the only city to have a biodiversity park inside it.the park has grown into about 20 distinct forest communities with 1. There are abundant insects attracting as many as 190 bird species to these communities. Nestled in its corner is the beautiful Aravalli Biodiversity Park.a bat cave and a natural conservatory for butterflies. About 24 types of reptiles. which seeks to restore the flora and fauna native to the Aravallis and create a space that is both recreational and educative. All the communities have three trophic (food chain) levels autotrophs (plants).000 species of plants and. Mammals such as jackals.000 species of plants. Typically. While most dead ends in Delhi colonies lead to garbage dumps.Delhi’s Aravali Biodiversity Park has transformed a barren landscape into 20 distinct forest communities with 1. a butterfly park.15 to 20 species as underwood and a native ground cover with several grasses and herbs.flower beds.if you please. Many species provide timber and products of industrial value. Vasant Kunj now has a different story to tell. 500 cactus varieties 300 varieties of orchids 140 bird species .herbivores and carnivores. Divided into four areas-a visitor's zone.but it should be possible to replicate these in cities where geography permits.porcupines and others are common.CONCLUSION In just 7 years. In the short span of seven years. a fernery and an orchidarium.an orchid garden.are also found in these forests.for recreation. Biodiversity parks as natural reserves are a special feature for Delhi.but these are not biodiversity parks. an educational zone and a rangeland-the park contains a herbal garden.blue bull. The last is the definite highlight of the park and has been created out of a pit that is 800 m deep and 100 m wide.etc. Over time.R. only 250 of the total 693 acres set aside for the project are ready so far. Look out for the proposed tropical rain forest and wetlands designed to attract birds. the ecological balance has been disturbed and it's time the vanishing gene pools were restored." says CEMDE director C. Babu. .Incidentally. Expected to be completed by 2010. the Biodiversity Park is a collaborative effort by the DDA and Delhi University's Centre for Environmental Management and Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE). "The Yamuna basin and the Aravallis are the two life support systems of Delhi.