Biodiversity Conservation and Diversification by Creation of Urban Micro- Environment: A Case Study of Delhi (original) (raw)
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Urban Biodiversity and Green Spaces in Delhi: A Case Study of New Settlement and Lutyens' Delhi
The paper presents a comparative scenario of green space planning in Lutyens' Delhi, an old colonial area, with the Dwarka sub-city of Delhi. A mixed methods approach using field based surveys and questionnaires for randomly selected residential areas, parks and roads was employed to understand the urban tree species distribution, its planning and management practices and the people's perception regarding urban forestry. Urban trees encountered in Lutyens' Delhi appeared quite diverse, with 125 species as compared to 26 species in Dwarka. In Dwarka, shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) and jamun (Sygizium cumini) together constitute about three-fourth of the total population of the sampled avenue trees, whereas neem (Azadirachta indica) and imli (Tamarindus indica) constitute about half of the total sampled avenue trees in Lutyens' Delhi. Further, species selection is compromised in lieu of fast growing tree species. Though awareness related to benefits of urban trees was found high among sampled residents, low faunal biodiversity remains a bigger concern. Census and periodic monitoring of urban trees besides expansion of green spaces, while formulating infrastructure related policies can improve the urban forestry status of Delhi.
Urbanization, ecosystems, and biodiversity: Assessments of India and Bangalore
2012
LAB India will support Indian cities in their efforts to (1) preserve, use and manage their biodiversity sustainably, and (2) to develop and implement local biodiversity strategies and action plans. In the process, the programme will be adapted to the Indian context while connecting Indian cities to a global network. This initiative will be launched at the Cities for Life Summit on 16th October 2012 in parallel to the CBD COP 11. Cities and Biodiversity Outlook Assessments of India and Bangalore "Cities and Biodiversity Outlook-Action and Policy stems from Decision X/22 requesting the Executive Secretary of the CBD to prepare an assessment of the links and opportunities between urbanization and biodiversity. I hope you will read it, share it, and together with others, take action to save life on Earth." This publication is an outcome and part of the global Cities and Biodiversity Outlook (CBO). The CBO project provides a global assessment in two publications, of the links between urbanization, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. The first part, Action and Policy, is released in Hyderabad at the Cities for Life Summit, parallel to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in October 2012. Core chapters of the second part, the more detailed Global Urbanization, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems-Challenges and Opportunities will be available online at www.cbd.int/subnational/partners-andinitiatives/cbo, and will be published in its entirety in the spring of 2013. This publication focuses exclusively on India's urbanization trends, and the links to and impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. Bangalore is represented as a city-level case study. The ten key messages of Action and Policy are highlighted throughout the publication, with the text they are the most connected to. The texts build on the two case studies of India and Bangalore that will be parts of the forthcoming second part of the CBO-Challenges and Opportunities. Drawing on contributions from more than 120 scientists and policy-makers from around the world, the CBO summarizes how urbanization affects biodiversity and ecosystem services, provides ten Key Messages for strengthening conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in an urban context, as well as showcases best practices and lessons learned. Both CBO volumes-Action and Policy, and Opportunities and Challenges, are collaborative efforts of the CBD and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, with significant input from ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. ICLEI South Asia in collaboration with ICLEI's Cities Biodiversity Center has developed a Local Action for Biodiversity-India (LAB India) programme, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The programme has been developed based on a demand expressed by several Indian cities for support towards conservation and improved management of urban biodiversity. "Cities and Biodiversity Outlook (CBO) brings into sharp focus not only the extraordinary wealth of urban biodiversity but also its role in generating ecosystem services upon which large and small urban populations and communities rely for their food, water, and health. It makes a strong argument for greater attention to be paid by urban planners and managers to the natural or nature-based assets within their metropolitan boundaries as one way toward realizing a range of targets established both pre-and post-Rio+20.
The present study deals with the phytodiversity of Gujarat University campus and the surrounding region which forms an important green space in the urban environment of Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state, India. The extensive field surveys were carried out in the vast study area during 2004 to 2006 covering four different seasons viz. summer, winter, monsoon and spring to cover annual, biennial and perennial plants. A total of 451 species of flowering plants belonging to 338 genera and 101 families were recorded in the study area. Along with these three pteridophytes, two gymnosperms and the algae and fungi group appearing mostly in the monsoon season were also recorded in the study. Among the flowering plants, the herbs were found to be dominant, indicating they favored the climatic factors like less rainfall and high temperature in the study area. Raunkier's biological life forms revealed the dominance of therophytes and phanerophytes, indicating 'Thero-Phanerophytic' phytoclimate in the region. The urban green spaces with such rich plant diversity need to be conserved, especially with the help of the local population, in order to maintain a good environment and biodiversity, thereby improving the overall quality of life.
Impact of urbanization on biodiversity
Nature and mankind are an inseparable part of life that includes land, water, air, space, energy, flora and fauna which are interconnected, interrelated and interdependent. There are unlimited forms of life on earth. Man is one among the many species competing with all others for survival. In the name of progress, the human race has changed from being hunter-gatherer to a self-centred modern man, a destroyer of nature, so much so that development in a sense has become synonymous with environmental degradation and progress with pollution. There is also a growing recognition that the indiscriminate usage of natural resources has led to serious problems. Air Pollution Clear air is essential for our survival. It is one of the "five spirits" or "Pancha boothas" considered holy in India. India's cities have become lethal gas chambers. Vehicular pollution is the main cause of air pollution, contributing to 57% of it and industries contribute to another 20%. Delhi is the fourth most polluted city in the world. In the urban centres, the air pollution level has exceeded the prescribed WHO standards. The air quality standards in small towns are also worsening. It has been estimated that 2.0 million Indians die annually due to air pollution. India is spending Rs. 4,550 crores per year to treat health problems caused by air pollution. Increase in average temperature, acid rain over some cities and indoor air pollution due to wood fires are some of the other problems. India is one of the signatories of the international convention to curb pollution. As a result of this, diesel vehicles and 15-year-old vehicles are to be banned to control vehicular pollution in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, etc. Vehicular emission checks have been made mandatory for all vehicles. To regulate the pollution levels around industries, precipitators, scrubbers and filters must be compulsorily installed. Legal provisions under the Air (Pollution, Prevention & Control) Act have also been made to sue the polluting industries. Water-scarcity and pollution Water is the basic necessity for all life. Water received as rainfall has been estimated to be 4000 km 3 annually. But it has been possible to harness only 690 km 3 for beneficial use. The ground water potential is estimated at 450 km 3. The pattern of water use in India is such that 93% is used by the agricultural sector and 3.73% by the domestic sector. 80% of the 14 perennial rivers in India are polluted with sewage. Industrial effluents, agricultural runoff , dumping of toxic wastes in rivers and other large water bodies are the cause of water pollution. Water scarcity due to ground water depletion is the major problem in India. The population has tripled since 1950 and the water demand has multiplied to double the sustainable yield of the aquifers. Aquifer depletion could bring down India's potential crop harvest by 25%. More than 230 blocks in our country are facing a severe shortage of water resources. Vanishing wetlands, heavily silted tanks and shrinking reservoirs are the other problems concerned with water resources in India.
Urbanization and its Impacts on Land Use, Biodiversity and Ecosystems in India
INTERdisciplina
India, a predominantly rural country, is going through a slow but constant and broad transition towards urbanization. The amount of cities and mega cities has increased from 5,161 to 7,935 in 2011. The united Nations predict that, by 2031, 15% of the urban population of the world, about 600 million people, will be living in Indian cities. This increase in urban population will cause repercussions in terms of environment, ecology and sustainability, which will manifest themselves in demands on urban services and governance of the urban ecosystem. In addition, urbanization generates significant tension in terms of land cover, native habitats, biodiversity, protected areas and services to the ecosystem that are basic for human wellbeing. In this paper we analyze some challenges and opportunities for urban development in India that include the participation of governments, private agencies, NGOs, and citizens from different social and economic strata.
Pune Urban Biodiversity : A case of Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
Journal of Ecological Society
The article describes a study conducted by naturalists from Pune, India, in collaboration with an NGO called RANWA. The study aims to assess the biodiversity and environmental changes in the Pune urban area. The researchers standardized the methodology and focused on living organisms as indicators of ecosystem health. They classified habitat types into wilderness zones (forests, scrub, grasslands) and impacted zones (plantations, agriculture, habitations). The study area extends approximately 30 km from the City Post office and includes Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations. The results show varying diversity levels across organismic groups and habitat types, with some species being sensitive to human impact while others are more tolerant. The study also highlights ongoing changes in the landscape, including habitat destruction due to urban expansion and infrastructure development. The researchers emphasize the importance of ecological monitoring and restoration efforts a...
Biodiversity Accounting of Cities: A Case Study of Kolkata, India
Sustainable Development and Planning IX, 2017
The link between urban development and its impact on the environment is always debatable. The effects of urbanization on Indian cities have mostly resulted in the loss of natural ecosystems and deterioration of the urban environment. Biodiversity, as a significant parameter of an urban ecosystem, is essential for human society because of the goods and services it provides. UNEP's foresight report links biodiversity with urban sustainability and resilience, identifying it as one of the issues of 'The 21 Issues of 21st Century' under the section of food, biodiversity and land issues, which seems particularly important in the context of countries with developing economies. Since biodiversity conservation cannot happen in isolation, the ecological performance of urban areas with respect to biodiversity assumes high significance. In light of the IUCN Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the need for benchmarking the urban biodiversity status of the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in eastern India was, thus, strongly felt. A baseline study would also be a logical starting point for the adoption of a robust biodiversity strategy and action plan for Kolkata. This paper presents such an assessment, using the City Biodiversity Index as a tool, based on qualitative as well as quantitative approaches to acquire quantitative data on the populations of key biodiversity indicators. It also attempts to benchmark the current scenario for future conservation efforts and evaluate progress in the arresting rate of biodiversity loss in the city. The results of the study indicate a reasonable score in the variety of native biodiversity, courtesy of the rich natural history of Kolkata, while its performance in the proportion of natural areas and ecosystem services is relatively poor and demands attention.
Sustainable Regional Planning [Working Title]
Cities are at the core of current environmental problems due to their ever-increasing demand for land surfaces and their impact on natural resources. Urban expansion compromises the functioning capacity of the ecosystems and creates complex effects on local and regional biodiversity. As cities grow, vital habitats are altered, destroyed, or fragmented into patches not big enough to support complex ecological communities, which is presently the most prominent factor contributing to the current global extinction and one of the pressing environmental issues. Hence, biodiversity conservation is integral to sustainable development and a significant concern of this millennium. Accurate assessment of urban biodiversity and implementation of strategies to arrest its loss at the local level is one of the most discussed topics in contemporary environmental research and international policies. The present study attempts to understand and analyse the urban biodiversity of Kolkata - a high-densi...