GAYATHRI MR

SITE VISIT REPORT: SPA/NS/AC/882

YAMUNA BIODIVERSITY SEMESTER 1

PARK, NEW DELHI DEPARTMENT OF

ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION
PLANNING FOR CONSERVATION:
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING

SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE,

NEW DELHI
 Site Visit Report : Yamuna Biodiversity Park, New Delhi

1. INTRODUCTION
Yamuna biodiversity park, located on Yamuna river front is a 9770 hectares
biodiversity area in Delhi, India. It is developed by Delhi Development Authority
(DDA) with the technical help of Centre for Environmental Management of
Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE), University of Delhi. It serves as an ideal alternative
habitat for migratory and resident bird species. It also is designed to conserve the
wild genetic resources of agricultural crops and enhance groundwater recharge and
augment freshwater availability. It has become home for biologically rich wetlands,
grassland communities, a wide variety of fruit yielding species and an abundance of
medicinal herbs. The Park also comprises a native flora and fauna which used to
exist 100 years ago and then became extinct locally. It further, acts as a natural
conservation site for specific group of endangered plants. The Yamuna Biodiversity
Park is presently spread over an area of approximately 457 acres near Wazirabad
village on the flat alluvial plains of the Yamuna.

The park features two major zones - the visitor zone and the nature reserve zone. The
front portion of the Yamuna Biodiversity Park, a 220m southward and 140m
northward stretch from the main entry gate with 20-30m width is demarcated as
Domesticated Biodiversity Zone. Enclosed by a hedge of poplar, it features plants like
Ailanthus, Butea and Bauhinia that have a continuous seasonal interest due to their
long flower production throughout the season.

A trail further leads to the Bambusetum, the Nature interpretation Centre, the
Conservatory of fruit yielding species, the Migratory duck’s wetland and the Nature
Reserve area. Nature interpretation Centre is a beautiful classical building with
elegant lighting, a red-carpet floor, attractive interior designs, panels depicting
various biodiversity levels, touch screens, and visual-aids that provide an insight into
the basic concepts of biodiversity. (TIAS 2006)

2.UNDERSTANDING THE SITE: PROCESS OF RECLAMATION

• The Yamuna Biodiversity Park was a barren land on the floodplains of River
Yamuna. The land was highly silted and saline in nature, making it difficult for
riverine plants to grow.

• Phytoremedation was the technique used – plants of halophytes were planted to

desaline the sand, as they can absorb sodium chloride to their cells.

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 Site Visit Report : Yamuna Biodiversity Park, New Delhi

CONTENTS

1.Introduction
2.Understanding the site: Process of reclamation
3. Ecosystem Services: Observations
4. Yamuna biodiversity park: Advantages
5.Conclusion
6. Bibliography

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 Site Visit Report : Yamuna Biodiversity Park, New Delhi

• Wetlands were made in areas where plant species of Phragmites and

Typha and other emergent plants were present in large. They indicate the
presence of a saturated ground water level and helped in identifying the
location for digging.

Plant species: Patera (Typha angustata Bory), Kallar (Leptochloa fusca),

Lalghas(Bothriochloa pertusa)
Also, a medicinal plant, home to tiny birds and insects.

• There are 10 types of forest ecosystems of Yamuna basin planted here in ten
mounds. Around 30 forest tree communities are recreated in the park, having
diverse ecological niches that not only attract a wide range of animal species but
also enable them to build viable populations.

3.ECOSYSTEM SERVICES : OBSERVATIONS

1. The vegetation is surviving in different layers: a tree canopy that supports

climbers and provides shade for the middle storey tree layer and shrub layer which
in turn protect the ground-cover of herbs and grasses.

Tree Canopy
Middle storey

Shrubs
Herbs and Grass layer

Fig: Showing various strata of plants

2. Each of this layer is a habitat for species. The bigger birds need more space and
they nest at a height with larger canopy. The smaller birds occupy middle layer
tree. Herbs and grasses have a wide variety of insects living. Beetles and
Grasshoppers are also prevalent here.
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 Site Visit Report : Yamuna Biodiversity Park, New Delhi

3. The Park has different species of plant like Adina-Mitragyna dominated, Teak
dominated moist deciduous, Sal and associates, Teak Dominated Dry Decidious,
Acacia Woodlands, Grasslands, Scrub Jungle, Butterfly Conservatory, Wetland
Communities, Semi-Evergreen Low Ying Forests etc. Each module is dependent on
the other module for its survival (butterfly and pollination).

4. Birds like woodpecker nest in dead trees standing on, so it’s important to not cut
down all dead trees.

5. The major climbers that were found are Mahul (Bauhinia vahlii), Genthi (Dioscoria
bulbifera) etc. They reach to the top of the forest canopy with support of trees to
get sun light which is limiting factor for species found in forest

6. The conservatory of butterflies is a well-designed, open air, circular area

where outer ring consists of host plants, while the inner portion has
nectar-producing flowers.

7. The major medicinal herbs found here were Brahmi, Safed etc, used to cure
ailments.

8. The fruit bearing trees are mainly Khirni, Sapota, Pomegranate and Guava.

9. Dragonflies and Damselflies are prevalent here, feeding on other insects

particularly mosquitoes and their larva. These insects maintain the tropic levels
and regulate the growth of other disease transmitting insects. Butterflies are seen
in many varieties here. They are also indicator of environmental health and
resilience. They play a key role in pollination and growth of forest.

10. The most easily and frequent sighted birds are Parakeets, Bulbuls, Peafowls,
Darters etc.

11. Birds from Siberia, Europe, China, Ladakh and other colder regions which
fly to tropical regions for food and shelter also make their way to these
wetlands every winter

12. Wetland ecosystem is also constructed in such a way to ensure different

biodiversity of species. There are three layers:

a. Submerged Vegetation – Acquire sunlight for photosynthesis and provides

oxygen for under water species

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 Site Visit Report : Yamuna Biodiversity Park, New Delhi

b. Floating vegetation like water lilies helps cleaning the water and is habitat for
species
c. Emergence vegetation

The island mounds act as roosting and resting place for birds like darters,
herons, spot billed ducks etc.

Emergence vegetation
Mounds and islands created to
invite birds(Can see darter in picture)

Floating vegetation

Fig: Showing various strata of plants in wetland ecosystem

13. The paving along the pathway could have been a natural stone or material.
Since the ecosystem has a wide number of species, they will find it difficult with
concrete pavers.

Fig: The paving along the trail

4.YAMUNA BIODIVERSITY PARK: ADVANTAGES

• Bio Reserve
• Water Replenishing Zone
• Temperature Regulator
• Helps in trapping the dust
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 Site Visit Report : Yamuna Biodiversity Park, New Delhi

• Regional park for the people - helps to connect the natural biodiversity to the
city and its people who have lost contact with it
• It provides new livelihoods to the local people

5.CONCLUSION

The project of Yamuna Biodiversity Park, on the banks of river Yamuna has come out
to be a very successful initiative to restore the lost pristine of Delhi. With the revival
of the lost species of both flora and fauna, the park has been able to set a huge
milestone. A large number of species which had got extinct hundreds of years ago can
now be seen actively flourishing in the park along with their own ecosystems
including birds, animals, micro-organisms and rodents.

It acts as a repository for more than 1,00,000 individuals of plants belonging to 800
species in its communities, accompanying a number of species of birds, butterflies,
mammals, fish, rodents, fruits, medicinal plants etc. The wetlands of the park need
special mention as they attract thousands of migratory birds from different places
across the globe belonging to different species, each year. With the high degree of
interdependence of flora and fauna on each other, the Park exemplifies itself to be
almost self-sustaining now, minimizing the need for human intervention in the
process. The concept of biodiversity and ecosystem can very well be seen there,
which illuminates the understanding of the variations in the biological environment
and their relationship with the abiotic components (Agarwal 2015).

7.BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEBSITES
• Agarwal, Rashi. 2015. Yamuna Biodiversity park, New Delhi. Accessed 11 21,
2019. http://anthro.du.ac.in/common/case_study_yamuna.pdf.
• TIAS. 2006. tiaspg.tecnia. Accessed November 2019.
https://tiaspg.tecnia.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/yamuna-
biodiversity-park-19th-JAN-2019-Report_compressed.pdf.

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