Urban biodiversity parks essential in city planning
Meena Janardhan
Writer/Editor/Consultant. She has over 25 years of experience in the fields of environmental journalism and publishing.
- 12 hours ago
Experts are advocating treating biodiversity parks as essential green infrastructure in city planning, aligning with global and national environmental commitments, according to a Mongabay-India (MI) report. Initiatives such as converting mining pits into orchid and butterfly conservatories showcase successful habitat restoration, supporting native flora and fauna, including endangered species.
The MI report cites the example of India’s capital city, Delhi that hosts seven biodiversity parks, which were restored from degraded lands to serve as urban forests, providing ecological benefits. Urban biodiversity parks are nature reserves that harbour hundreds of native plants, animals, and microbial species living in sustainable biological communities, rendering ecological services to the metropolis.
Together, these parks, the report points out, span 820 hectares and include Aravalli Biodiversity Park (280 ha), Yamuna Biodiversity Park (185 ha), Neela Hauz Biodiversity Park (3.88 ha), Tilpath Valley Biodiversity Park (70 ha), Tughlaqabad Biodiversity Park (81 ha), Northern Ridge Biodiversity Park (87 ha) and South Delhi Biodiversity Park (113.3 ha).
Among them, the Neela Hauz Biodiversity Park stands out as a restored wetland ecosystem. Studies suggest it was part of a larger watershed that drained this section of the Aravallis, eventually reaching the Yamuna River through a network of nullahs. However, Neela Hauz faced severe encroachment and became a dumping ground for untreated wastewater. In 2008, the lake was partially filled during the construction of a bridge for the Commonwealth Games. Residents formed the Neela Hauz Citizens Group and filed a public interest litigation to ensure its restoration. On February 15, 2012, the Delhi High Court ordered the lake’s restoration, which has since been completed.
According to a report by the Delhi Biodiversity Foundation of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), to restore the lake into its original state, it was desilted, and the desilted material was used for landscaping around it. The raw sewage and raw sewage plus treated sewage that used to enter is now purified by passing through constructed wetland system with zero energy. The wastewater treatment in the filter bed of constructed wetlands is the result of complex interactions between sediments, the sand bed, the root zone, and water in pores, litter, leaf litter, water, air, plants and plant roots, and biomass zones. A mosaic of sites with different oxygen levels triggers diverse degradation and removal processes. It took two years to make it functional with zero energy input. Presently, the constructed wetland converts one million litres of sewage water per day into clean water. Today, Neela Hauz is a thriving habitat attracting migratory birds adjacent to Sanjay Van, a reserve forest.
Like the Aravalli and Neela Hauz Biodiversity Parks, the other five parks in Delhi have also been developed by restoring degraded lands, the MI report points out. The Yamuna Biodiversity Park, near Wazirabad, was the first to be established and now hosts biologically rich wetlands, grasslands, fruit-bearing trees and medicinal herbs.
The success of Delhi’s biodiversity parks has triggered a broader conservation model. According to a DDA publication, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC ) has launched a new scheme to establish biodiversity parks in states and union territories across the country, However, despite its green spaces, Delhi frequently makes headlines for environmental challenges such as air pollution, floods, and heatwaves. Rapid urbanisation and loss of green cover have added to Delhi’s vulnerabilities. Given these challenges, experts suggest the need to expand greening efforts in the city.
The global community, the MI report states, also recognises the value of urban forest-based solutions. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) highlights the benefits of urban forests, green roofs, green walls, and blue zones, which help manage local temperatures and make cities cooler and more liveable. India is taking significant steps in this direction. In 2020, the MoEF&CC launched the Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), aiming to create 1000 urban forests (Nagar Vans) and gardens (Nagar Vatikas) across cities. The initiative promotes urban forestry by involving local communities, NGOs, educational institutions, and urban local bodies. India has also committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through increased forest and tree cover by 2030, with urban forestry playing a critical role.
