FIELD REPORT (Field visit to Yamuna Biodiversity Park)
SUBMITTED BY: Gaurvi Arora SNU ID: 1510110140 DATE DATE OF VISIT: 21 11 2015 REPORT SUBMITTED TO: DR! DIMITRIS G! "AS"AOUTIS REPORT SUBMITTED ON: 5 12 2015
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#ONTENTS
Pa$% Nu&'%r
1. INTRODU#TION i
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Lo(a)io*
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ii +i,)or-Ba(.$rou*/ iii #ara( #ara()%r )%ri,) i,)i(, i(, iv Mai*)%*a*(% v S)a33 OBS BSER ERV VATION ION i Fora 6Pa*) ,7%(i%,8 "ir*i #i.u Tr%% Gioi M%,a. "u, Gra,, Va;ra/a*)i E%7a*) A77% Tr%% ii Fau* Fau*a6 a6A* A*i& i&a a ,7%( ,7%(i% i%,8 ,8 S*a.%'ir/, = S>uirr% iii Bu))%r3- #o*,%rva)or- = ?%)a*/, DIS#USSIONS i Pro'%&, 3a(%/ ii Baa*(% i* %(o,-,)%&, iii Tri7 E@7%ri%*(% REFEREN#ES A#"NO?LEDGEMENT
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1.Introduction to Biodiversity park Biodiversity parks are unique urban landscapes, first of its kind it! various ecosystems in it, developed as places to promote conservational education and recreational values. "!ey also serve as repositories to save flora and fauna. "!ese parks !ave been specially establis!ed to brin# out t!e importance of ild flora and fauna to t!e ne #eneration of $1st century as ell as for increasin# t!e #round ater, for re#ulatin# t!e temperature and ork as a dust trapper. %ost importantly t!ey function as Bioreserves.
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"!e main aim of settin# up of a biodiversity park is to conserve and educate urban citi&ens about flora and fauna !ic! are !i#!ly endan#ered or e'tinct in ild.
Ima#e ource locomotorin#.net
Y*%+* BI-I/0I"Y P*2 *s a part of our curriculum, e #ot a c!ance to visit suc! a scenic biodiversity park called, "!e Yamuna Biodiversity Park, !ic! is presently spread over an area of appro'imately 345 acres near 6a&irabad villa#e on t!e flat alluvial plains of t!e Yamuna. "!is park actually contains a lar#e area of etlands !ic! !elps t!e mi#ratory birds to rest and lay e##s and t!eir incubation.
$7 different biotic communities are bein# created in t!e ap pro'imately 187 acres of t!e nature reserve &one. ubtropical mi'ed ever#reen forest community, subtropical mi'ed semi9ever#reen forest community, tropical moist deciduous forest ecosystem it! al as a dominant species, subtropical Forest communities at Yamuna Biodiversity Park semi9ever#reen forest ("erai re#ion of Yamuna iver Basin), #rasslands, *cacia oodlands to mention a fe. "!us, Yamuna Biodiversity Park acts as a !erita#e site and repository of t!e appro'imately 47, t!reatened communities of t!e Yamuna river basin, provides ideal alternative !abitats for mi#ratory and resident bird species, en!ances #round ater rec!ar#e and au#ments fres! ater availability, acts as sinks for carbon dio'ide and ot!er pollutants, ameliorates local eat!er 3
conditions and buffers ambient temperatures, promotes eco9tourism and social connectivity across t!e urban community, serves as #ene pools, and represents unique ecolo#ical models possessin# not only ildlife and natural values but also aest!etic, environmental and educational values.
Lo(a)io* o3 Ya&u*a 'io/iv%r,i)- 7ar.: Yamuna Biodiversity Park is located near t!e river Yamuna at :aroda, 6a&irabad. It;s about 1km aay from main stream of Yamuna river but is still in its flood basin due to !ic! salinity of soil t!ere is very !i#!.
atellite %ap of Yamuna Biodiversity Park
ource
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* brief map of Yamuna Bio9diversity Park
"!e 0ntrance of Yamuna Biodiversity Park t!rou#! ock
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+i,)or- o3 Ya&u*a Bio/iv%r,i)- Par.: •
Yamuna Biodiversity Park is a dedicated biodiversity park dedicated to citi&ens of el!i and t!e ation by t!e =t. endra 2!anna back in early $1st century.
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"!e land for t!e Biodiversity Park as !anded over to ?entre for t!e 0nvironmental %ana#ement of e#raded 0cosystems (?0%0) of el!i +niversity by t!e * in t!e year $77$9$778 for t!e development of park.
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Its took almost 59@ years for t!e researc!ers, sc!olars, environmentalist and many more people to convert a !i#!ly saline landscape into biodiversity park.
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"!e process of t!is transformation as a really lon# process !ic! involved a lot of effort by t!e environmentalists !o c!ecked t!e land quality. "!en t!ey !ad find t!e kind of ild flora e'isted in t!e el!i re#ion before urbani&ation t!rou#! very various means ran#in# from literature of ancient el!i to askin# elderly people of t!e native area. =ater t!ey !ad to find t!at variety of t!ose plants all over t!e nation if possible all over out!east *sia.
#ara()%ri,)i(, o3 Ya&u*a Bio/iv%r,i)-: F=-60I< P=*" "!e Yamuna Biodiversity Park !as over 1,777 species of floerin# plants !ic! used to e'ist in t!e flood plains of river Yamuna several decades a#o. "!ese species ere t!rivin# to e'ist before bein# planted in t!e park. "!is park saved loads of flora from e'tinction F-0" ?-%%+I"I0 It also !osts moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests tropical t!orn forests, scrub #rasslands and t!e most biolo#ically ric! #rasslands in its small landscape. 60"=* "!e environmentalists !ave also created to etlands in t!e park t!at !arbor over A7 species of fis! includin# 2atla and o!u. "!e etlands impound t!e floodater and serve as a !abitat for mi#ratory birds. "!is also !elps in increasin# level of #roundater. B+""0F=Y ?-0/*"I- It also !osts a butterfly conservatory in !ic! over 44 different species of butterflies reside and boosts t!e diversity of Butterflies of II*. ome butterflies in t!is conservatory parks are !i#!ly endan#ered. F+I" "00 It also !as a conservatory of about 347 species of fruit yieldin# trees !ic! are of ild ori#in and natural #enes. "!ese ill !elp to preserve natural #enes !ic! are on ver#e of e'tinction.
Mai*)%*a*(%: "!e maintenance of t!is park is maintained by t!e staffs !o are involved in t!e ork !ic! ensures t!e !ealt!y #rot! of flora and fauna. "!ere are many mi#ratory birds t!at come to t!is area re#ularly due to t!e ide ran#e of eco systems !ic! are present in t!is biodiversity park. "!e Yamuna Biodiversity Park is a very t!ick forest it! a lar#e #reen cover and muc! different kind of species suc! as snakes etc. "!e park !as clear pat!ays to move beteen t!e forest cover. "!e park contains an office buildin# ."!is pro>ect is bein# developed in to p!ases. "!e P!ase I as initiated in t!e year $77$ and today it !as become fully functional etland ecosystems and ell developed forest ecosystems c!aracteristic of t!e river Yamuna basin. "!e P!ase II started in t!e year $77 and it is bein# implemented in t!e same manner as an e'tension
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of t!e pro>ect Yamuna Biodiversity Park 0stablis!ment C %ana#ement. el!i evelopment *ut!ority is t!e fundin# a#ency of t!e pro>ect.
S)a33 o3 Ya&u*a BioDiv%r,i)- Par.: 6e interacted it! t!ree instructors !o briefed us about t!e park;s !istory. "!ey divided us into to sub#roups and #uided us t!rou#! t!e park. "!e staff members of Yamuna Biodiversity Park are very elcomin# and friendly, t!ey e'plained to us t!e importance o f nature, food c!ains, and nutrient cycles and !o every livin# bein# depends on t!em. "!ey all !elped us to understand our environment et!ics it! some really #ood e'a mples. "!ey also s!oed us a small video made on t!at park, its development and maintenance.
2!O',%rva)io*,: FLORA
?onservatory of Fruit yieldin# pecies
The display of several varieties of fruit yielding plants in a small area reveals the astounding diversity found amongst fruiting plants. The conservatory harbours some unfamiliar fruits in addition to many familiar ones. The conservatory is a home to variety of birds such as parakeets bulbuls and peafo!l in large "ocks as also snakes s#uirrels and porcupines !hich are rarely
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seen e%cept bet!een &pril and 'ctober. (ome of the plant species are) 1! Lo(a Na&%: "ir*i
S(i%*)i3i( Na&% Ma*i.ara%@a*/ra
2!irni is used as rootstocks for c!iku in India.Its fruits are very seet. eeds of k!irni contain $4D oil !ic! is considered demulcent and emollient. It !as a stron# and dense timber t!at is put to several uses in villa#es. Its leaves are used as a fodder for cattle. Its tree also yields a #um. "!e bark contains 17 per cent tannins and can be used for tannin# purposes. It is also used in fevers and as a #eneral tonic.
2!Lo(a *a&% :#i.u Tr%%
S(i%*)i3i( Na&%: Ma*i.ara a7o)a
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*not!er variety of fruit species t!at is been protected in t!e park is t!e c!iku tree. "!e fruit of t!is tree is #enerally knon as sapota fruit. "!is fruit !as its native in sout!ern %e'ico and central*merica. "!e fruit of t!is tree is ric! in proteins and fibers. Because of ! i#! fiber content in t!e c!iku fruits it smoot!ens and re#ulates t!e functionin# of intestine.
S(i%*)i3i( Na&% Ti*o,7ora(or/i3oia
It is a lar#e, deciduous e'tensively spreadin# climbin# s!rub it! several elon#ated tinin# branc!es. 6it! lots of medicinal advanta#esE
4! Lo(a Na&%: M%,a.
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S(i%*)i3i( *a&%: Salvadorapersic
"!e fres! leaves can be eaten as part of a salad and are used in traditional medicine for cou#!, ast!ma, scurvy, r!eumatism, piles and ot!er diseases. "!e floers are small and fra#rant and are used as a stimulant and are mildly pur#ative. "!e berries are small and barely noticeableE t!ey are eaten bot! fres! and dried. It t!e mustard bus! is used as a drou#!t9resistant fodder plant for cattle. "!e "opnaar people t!at still live on t!e 2uiseb iver use it to feed t!eir #oats. "!e plantGs seeds can be used to e'tract deter#ent oil.
5! Lo(a *a&% "u, $ra,,
C S(i%*)i3i( Na&%#r-,o7o$o*ia*ioi/%,
"!e plantH#rass !elps to stabili&e soil and protects it a#ainst erosion and a lso protects fields a#ainst pests and eeds. ue to its fibrous properties, t!e plan t can also be used for !andicrafts, ropes and more. It is used for its antiseptic properties to treat acne and sores. 2!us is also used as a flavorin# a#ent, usually t!rou#! k!us syrup. "!e syrup is used to flavor milks!akes but can
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also be used in ice creams, mi'ed bevera#es. 2!us is mainly cultivated for t!e fra#rant essential oil distilled from its roots.
Lo(a *a&%:Va;ra/a*)i 7a*)
(cienti,c name) -arleria prionitis
"!e va>radant!i plant does not #ro every!ere. "!is plant !as a ide ran#e of uses in medicine, *yurveda. *lmost all t!e parts of t!is plant !ave at least a medicinal use. "!is plant is used in t!e treatment of mout! ulcers and bleedin# #ums. "!e as! from t!e !ole tree !e n mi'ed it! !oney applied on t!e affected area cures t!e bleedin# #ums problems. It used in makin# toot!pastes instead of c!emicals. "!ere are ot!er medicinal uses like treatment of #out, oedema, toot! ac!e etc.
Lo(a Na&%: Ba'oo Tr%%
"!e babool tree !ic! is native to *frica, %iddle 0ast and t!e Indiansub9continent find its uses in many ays. "!e babool tree can be used as a !ed#e for farms because of its t!orny branc!es. "!e ood of t!e babool tree is stron#, durable and s!ock resistant so it is used in construction. 12
"!e babool !as also many si#nificant medicinal uses. It is used in treatment of scurvy, stomac! upset and pain.an infusion of bark is taken a#ainst diarr!ea and dysentery.
! Lo(a *a&%: E%7a*) a77% )r%%
S(i%*)i3i( Na&%: Di%*ia i*/i(a
"!e fruits of t!is tree look similar to t!at of an apple. 0lep!ants are found to !ave muc! likin# for t!e fruits of t!is tree, so it is commonly knon as t!e 0lep!ant *ppleJ.
O)%r, S7%(i%, o3 7a*),: Besides t!ese t!ere are a lar#e number of ot!er trees like neem, pome#ranate, brin>al, mulberry tree. •
eem tree !as myriad uses. Its leaves act as antibiotics. "!ey are crus!ed into >uice and used for indi#estion problems. ometimes t!e branc!es of eem can be used for brus!in#. It can even remove pla#ue stuck in our mout!. It even !as economical use like its ood can be used to make furniture and ooden articles.
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Pome#ranate fruit !as a !i#! nutritious value ."!e seeds and >uice of t!e fruit is considered as syrup to !eart and t!roat.
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Brin>al is anot!er type of plant t!at is bein# co nserved. "!e nets are used so as to prevent t!e direct fall of sunli#!t and animals like porcupine.
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%ulberry tree plays a vital role in many aspects. ilk orms mainly feed on mulberry leaves and complete t!e life cycle from transformation into silk orm from caterpillar sta#e. "!e fruits of t!is tree are pink in color.
FAUNA 1! Lo(a *a&%: Dar)%r, or S*a.%'ir/,
S(i%*)i3i( Na&%: A*i$a
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Darter species are found all over t!e orld in arm s!allo aters. "!e darters or snakebirds are mainly tropical ater birds. "!e term Ksnakebird refers to t!eir lon# t!in neck, !ic! !as a snake9like appearance !en t!ey sim it! t!eir bodies submer#ed, or !en mated pairs tist it durin# t!eir bondin# displays. "!ey typically in!abit fres! ater lakes, rivers, mars!es, samps, etc. %ost are sedentary and do not mi#rate. "!ey tend to #at!er in flocks L sometimes up to about 177 birds. arters feed mainly on mid9si&ed fis!. "!e ma'imum possible lifespan of darters seems to be ab out si'teen years.
2!Lo(a *a&%: S>uirr%
S(i%*)i3i( *a&%:Eu)a&ia,,i'iri(u,
"!ey are many varieties of squirrels found around t!e orld. "!e most famous squirrel is Indian !and palm squirrel found all over India. "!e Indian palm squirrel is also called t!ree9 striped palm squirrel. =ittle is knon about t!eir lon#evity, but one specimen lived 4.4 years in captivity. "!ese squirrels eat mainly nuts and fruits and can be easily domesticated and trained to accept food from !umans.
Bu))%r3- #o*,%rva)or"!e butterfly conservatory is anot!er interestin# area of t!e Yamuna bio diversity park. undreds of species of butterflies are bein# conserved in t!e #arden by provin# t!e required conditions and atmosp!ere for t!em to breed and propa#ate. Butterflies play a ma>or role in nature. %ain function of t!ese is to !elp t!e plants in pollination.
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%any floerin# trees are #ron in t!e butterfly #arden besides fra#rant plants. It is because t!at butterflies are easily attracted to colorful floers and !elps in pollination.
?%)a*/,: 6etlands are anot!er important type of ecosystem present in t!e park. "!ey are stretc!ed over a vast area. ?omin# to t!e uses of etlands t!ere are a ide ran#e of uses suc! as t!ey !elp in t!e breedin# of mi#ratory birds and fis!es. "!ey act as intermediates beteen t!e river eco system and marine eco system. "!ey maintain t!e #round ater level. "!ey purify and filter t!e surface ater. %an#roves !elps in reducin# t!e effects of natural calamities like !urricanes, tsunamis also #ro in t!e etlands. "!ere are a ide variety of plant and animal species t!at e'ist in et land, Fra#matities , a type of #rass t!at mainly #ros in etlands is seen abundantly #roin# in t!e park. "!ey are considered as t!e indicators of etland ecosystem. "!ey #ro very tall and !as t!in stem. "!ese plants absorb a lar#e amount of soil as t!e ater in t!e park is mostly saline.
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3.I?+I- i
Pro'%&, 3a(%/ :
"!e !ouses nearby drop t!eir sea#es into river Yamuna, !ic! in turn de#rade t!e soil of t!e banks leadin# to loss of ve#etation in t!ose areas. Beside !ouses, many factories and industries situated on t!e banks of Yamuna iver also dump t!eir aste into t!e river t!rou#! pipelines and nalasJ. "!e soil is bein# contaminated it! Pb, Mn and %n beyond t!e safe limits prescribed for t!ese metals. "!e pollution and encroac!ment of t!e river banks !as also led to a decrease in t!e number of mi#ratory birds in t!e last ten years. It can be controlled by (a)Preventin# untreated sea#e and effluents from bein# dumped into t!e river and (b) Increase in ater volume reduces t!e pollution load !ence if less ater is diverted durin# t!e dry season, it ill !elp.
ii Baa*(% i* %(o,-,)%&! 6e also discussed t!at t!ere is a !ope of maintainin# balance in ecosystem due to t!is kind of biodiversity pro>ects !ic! on lar#er scale can control t!e !arm e are causin# to our %ot!er ature. -ur Instructor also stated t!e e'ample of t!e etland to !ic! e visit durin# t!e trip t!at despite of so muc! ater and plants, bus!es etc, mosquitoes are not t!ere. "!e reason is t!e presence of insects !ic! eat mosquitoes and even t!eir larvae. "!ose insects are not found in t!e urban ecosystem due to absence of plants. o e concluded t!at biodiversity can save us from all t!e !arms and bad pollution effects.
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Tri7 E@7%ri%*(%
"!e field visit to Yamuna Biodiversity Park as a remarkable e'perience and it !elped me to understand t!e environment better. 6!ile e'plorin# t!e Yamuna biodiversity park in el!i, I e'perienced t!e ric! !erita#e and biodiversity oned by el!i and Yamuna flood basin in its past #lorious days. "!e Field trip also en#a#ed students in t!ou#!t provokin# issues and trained t!em to t!ink independently, formulate problems and dra conclusions for t!e most important cause of savin# our environment. From off field researc! to field visit , from interactions it! t!e fello members , faculty and instructors !elped us to develop t!e mindset and skill for critically e'aminin# issues and findin# out of t!e bo' solutions. "!is trip made me reali&e !o e !ave for#otten t!e importance of nature and environment in our, and !o e !ave drifted apart from it. 6e !umans !ave become so selfis! t!at e >ust use environment as a resource.
REFERREN#ES
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A#"NO?LEDGEMENT I would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude towards all those who have been a vital support during this project. I would like to thank my Professor Dimitris G. Kaskaoutis who provided me a chance to explore such an amaing place. !lso he played the most important role in providing valuable suggestions" support" encouragement and understanding re#uired to prepare this report. I would take this opportunity to thank my parents $r. %anjeev !rora and $rs !lka !rora for providing me the resources and support for the trip and the report. I would also like to dedicate a special vote of thanks to Professor Dr. &yoti K. %harma" who was our instructor for the first %emester. 'ast but not the least I would like to thank my friends who not only helped me to prepare the report but also made this trip a memorable experience.
(hank )ou *
T+E END 21
