Urban Biodiversity Conservation. Dr. Erach Bharucha Institute of Environment Education and Research Bharati Vidyapeeth University

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1 Urban Biodiversity Conservation Dr. Erach Bharucha Institute of Environment Education and Research Bharati Vidyapeeth University

2 SUSTAINABILITY ECONOMIC Short Term Mid Term Long Term SOCIETAL ENVIRONMENTAL

3 SUSTAINABILITY ECONOMIC Short Term Mid Term Long Term Societal Environmental

4 SUSTAINABILITY Economic Short Term Mid Term Long Term SOCIETAL Environmental

5 SUSTAINABILITY Economic Short Term Mid Term Long Term Societal ENVIRONMENTAL

6 What is urban biodiversity? What is NOT urban biodiversity! Why protect urban biodiversity? What will happen if there is no urban biodiversity? Who needs urban biodiversity? Where can urban biodiversity be conserved? How to plan for urban biodiversity conservation?

7 What is urban biodiversity? Urban biodiversity is about creating an urban system which is as close to the natural biogeographic setting as possible. A species rich environment which is compatible with human wellbeing in an urban setting.

8 What is urban biodiversity? Habitat Flora Indigenous Keystone species in parks, gardens, avenues.

9 What is urban biodiversity? Fauna

10 What is urban biodiversity? Fauna

11 What is not urban biodiversity! It is not about major glamour species tigers and elephants It is not about a wilderness ecosystem It is not a formal garden of exotic plants greening

12 What are the values of Biodiversity? Biodiversity values provide: Food Plants Goods - Species Animals Medicines Microbes Ecosystem Water Shade Services Evolutionary Processes Climate control Pollution Minimization Connectivity to human wellbeing

13 Why protect urban biodiversity? Key concern of sustainable cities. Biodiversity is an indicator of urban, economic, societal and environmental health. It is about maintaining a high quality of life through recreational space in a natural habitat A place of peace that can produce a feeling of oneness with Nature for urban people where air pollution and visual urban disharmony is substituted by nature s beauty. Flora and fauna preserves physical human health and psychological well being. Prevents Nature Deficit Disorders in urban children. (Richard Louv, 2005)

14 What will happen if urban biodiversity is lost? Green cover Pollution Urban Biodiversity Water table Health

15 What will happen if there is no urban biodiversity? Rats will increase due to absence of Raptors Birds will disappear No pollination due to absence of butterflies, bees and beetles

16 Unplanned Development Economic Short Term Mid Term Long Term Environment Degradation Societal

17 Unplanned Development Worsening Poverty Short Term Mid Term Long Term Societal Environmental

18 Unplanned Development Economic Short Term Societal Conflict Long Term Environmental

19 Who needs urban biodiversity? Biodiversity conservation is people centric People increasingly feel an urge to spend time in natural surrounds. It attracts children, adults and aged. Urban biodiversity as a green space acts as an appreciation and training setting for conservation education leading to sustainable lifestyles..

20 Where can urban biodiversity be conserved? Urban planning requires a new sensitivity to management for biodiversity. Preservation of patches of existing natural areas Forested patches / Hill slopes Aquatic ecosystems: Riverfront/ Lakes/ Ponds / Seashore New approach to public and private gardens: Conversion of formal gardens to natural spaces Species selection No go development areas in the urban fringe

21 How to plan for Urban biodiversity Planning: conservation? Managing the matrix of housing, business, industry through corridoring of existing natural settings. Creating roadside avenues as corridors between natural patches of vegetation. Identification of preservable natural assets in urban fringe zones before they are legally/ illegally urbanised. Hills Rivers Woodlots Lakes As non urbanisation areas where the fringe is likely to expand

22 Strategies Using indigenous species of trees, shrubs and ground flora for gardens and roadside plantation. Using water tolerant local trees for riverfronts. Preserving open woodlots and roadside avenues.

23 The Pune Scenario Yesterday Today Tomorrow Option A nightmare A dream city

24 The 40 s and 50 s Pune: A background The town had a matrix of open babul woodlots Banyan avenues. Cantonment homes with large gardens. The river was unpolluted.

25 The 60 s and 70 s Urban sprawl slowly extended but more prominently vertical growth occurred in central city and camp. Bund Garden bridge

26 The 80 s and 90 s Rapid urbanisation. Highrise housing to 4 floors. Loss of bunglows and vadas. Kothrud

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28 Most rapid spread of fringe development. Higher housing 8 floors +. Rapid road widening. Development along river front. What we lost? Banyan tree avenues Open woodlots Riverine banks

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30 TREE COVERED AREAS, SCRUBLAND AND GARDEN SPACES PRESENT AND POTENTIAL CORRIDORING Source : Google Earth 2012 N Many more garden spaces mostly exotic trees and lawns TREE COVERED AREAS (3.71%) SCRUBLAND (37.50%) GARDEN (0.55%) RIVER FRONT (0.27%) EXISTING CORRIDORS POTENTIAL CORRIDORS

31 Possibility to protect the biodiversity parks as natural areas that people can use Lungs of Pune Recreational spaces Conservation education space

32 BUILT UP AND BUILT UP AREAS WITH 50% TREE COVER N BUILT UP AREAS (34.14%) BUILT UP AREAS WITH 50% TREE COVER (13.29%) RIVER FRONT (0.27%) Source : Google Earth 2012

33 Opportunities for long term planning Preserving residual banyan avenues as corridors of keystone species Hills as biodiversity refuges Lakefronts/ River Gardens of indigenous plants Preventing spread to Western Ghats

34 What is threatened? The landscape matrix built up / open space mix Fringes rural matrix Hills of Pune Riverine tracts of banks of Mula Mutha Roadside avenue corridors

35 What we have retained! Reserved forest patches Koregaon park Empress garden University campus Some Banyan avenues Cantonment / Kirkee

36 What we regained! Garden spaces added Restored Pashan lake

37 The Pashan Ecorestoration Strategy Desilting to enhance lost water holding capacity. Creation of roosting islands for avifauna. Maintening mudbanks and reedbeds by removal of ipomia. Cleaning up the pollution from upstream. Afforesting banks with local relevant species.

38 May 6, 2011 Jan April Dec 15, 20, Nov Sep May 29, 18, 22, 16, , 2011 Apr 23, 2009 Mar 5, 26, , 2010 Jan28, 2013

39 Recovery of Avifauna

40 Quality of Life Indicators Urban Biodiversity Economic Issues Social Issues Environmental Issues Unsustainable Sustainable Unsustainable Sustainable Unsustainable Sustainable a) High cost of maintenance of lawns in gardens. a) Design of gardens with low cost and high carbon sequestrati on. a) Only available at high cost and in private households a) Free or low cost and usable by all through public gardens a) Lack of adequate planning for urban biodiversity conservation a) Visually a green city b) Avenues c) Biodiversity preserved d) Use of Biodiversity Act

41 Public awareness on urban biodiversity Urban BMC / PBR / BHS School biodiversity program College biodiversity program UGC courses on EE Orientation of key stakeholders Planners / Corporators / Adminstrators / Corporates / Media - Press

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