Barren lands turn blooming forests

Barren lands turn blooming forests
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The three projects that started few years ago in Bangalore are today boosting the lessons of ecological conservation. With City’s green cover fast vanishing, developing urban forests is the best solution in regaining the urban biological diversity in City.

The Army complex at Agram, Police Housing Complex at Koodlu on City outskirts and Mantapa village adjacent to Banneragatta National Park have been growing into urban forests ever since the programmes were initiated.

Today, Army complex in Agram hosts nearly 60 acres of urban forests. It was almost a barren land, when the Urban Forestry was implement by Army and Eco Watch, a green organisation.

Since 1800 A D the Agram Grounds is under army and was known as Army Grounds Royal Artillery Mountain. ‘‘It was in 1950, Colonel Gurudayal Singh was first initiated in greening the Army Complex,’’ said an Army Official.

According to Akshay Heblikar, Director, Eco-Watch, The Urban Forestry programme in Army complex was initiated in 2000 April.

"The programme was concentrated on greening the area. This will also increase the lung space as we are focusing on planting the native species, he said."

"We have specifically planted indigenous species which otherwise would have become extinct in few years. Three ponds have been constructed inside the area and we have adopted rainwater harvesting mechanism. The excess water flowing from these ponds not only channelise the water to the green cover, but also recharges the underwater table," he said.

This success story has also benefitted the surrounding areas. "The recent survey has revealed that after the rain water harvesting practices in Agram Grounds, the dry borewells have got life in the surrounding areas including Ejipura, Ashoknagar and Viveknagar," Heblikar added.