20-Acre Of Herivore Safari Of Bannergatta Biological Park Cleared Of Weeds, 80-Acre Remains To Be Restored
The Restoration project was taken by Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to stress the Company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation through its Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) programme.
BENGALURU: Of the available 100-acre, 20-acre has been restored under the Ecological Restoration Project at Herbivore Safari attached to Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru by removing invasive weeds in a scientific manner. In coming years the resorted site would increase the availability of natural forage for herbivore species within the safari.
The Restoration project was taken by Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to stress the Company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation through its Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) programme. The restored site has been handed over to BBP officials.
Prior to restoration, BBP Executive Director Surya Sen told Deccan Chronicle on Tuesday the site had highly non-palatable plants which the herbivore species of the safari area could not graze on it. The herbivore safari area had no vegetation owing to over grazing by herbivore species and the over grazing at the site resulted in soil erosion.
“Lots of weeds were removed at the site. Area was closed through solar fencing and local native species of saplings have been added at the site by digging pits and the whole restored site has been brought under drip irrigation,” the executive director stated.
“We are waiting for rainfall to sow grass varieties at the restored site. The site restored will be under maintenance for two-years before the restored plot is opened for safari herbivore species to graze upon the grass,” he said.
“After opening of the restored site, we will go to the next patch for restoration,” Surya Sen said and after a while the resorted site will also be damaged by overgrazing of herbivore species. “The restoration has to be a cycle,” said the BBP Executive Director.
“To ensure long-term sustainability of the plantation, the Ecological Restoration Project includes a solar-powered bore well to provide water during dry periods which significantly improves sapling survival and healthy vegetation growth at the restored site,” he said.