ATAL VATIKA URBAN FOREST
Atal Vatika Urban Forest - Environment Preservation and Rejuvenation
BESTINDIAN™ Luxuries are proudly Carbon Neutral Certified & are created by respecting the environment during all stages of manufacturing. Environment protection and preservation forms the core of BestIndian™ ethos which is exhibited in the Urban forest called Atal Vatika.
ATAL VATIKA URBAN FOREST & ENVIRON PROTECTION
Atal Vatika is an urban forest created in Dehradun, by Mr. Nitin Sahrawat, Founder Director of BestIndian, by planting and nurturing hundreds of rare native Indian Fruit & Ayurvedic trees in Dehradun, India. The once barren, lifeless & trash filled ravine has now turned into a mini City forest, hosting a Self-sustaining ecosystem comprising of numerous species of birds, mammals and reptiles.
Atal Vatika aims at betterment of the quality of life of communities, in sync with the available natural resources around them. The roads on the periphery of this urban forest have been beautified by the plantation of hedges to provide safe sanctuary for birds and small mammals like mongoose, and canopied trees which help provide the senior citizens of the neighbourhood communities with the much needed protection from the sun during their walks.
Nature Centric Rejuvenation of Cities and towns of India
Atal Vatika is a part of the Atal Indian Urban Rejuvenation Project which aims at inculcating landscape architecture at the local resident welfare association level in the cities and villages of India, through the participation of the local population. It aims at better coordination between the RWAs and the administrative bodies, for providing a uniform look to the entire city, brought about by colour coordinated Avenue tree plantation drives, covering the entire city.
An integral part of this project is the waterfront development of the Urban riverside, and creation of greenways. Nature can be used to provide important services for communities by protecting them against flooding or excessive heat, or helping to improve air, soil and water quality. More green space around one's house is associated with better mental health. Also, an availability of green space in neighbourhoods helps the senior citizen segment of the population by encouraging increased physical activity, which results in healthier and longer lifespans.
Apart from being an urban forest, Atal Vatika is also a social movement, focused on providing practical solutions to the challenges faced by the rapidly urbanizing India. It strives for the creation of 'Green' smart cities, and modifying the existing Indian population centers, with nature being the core and the unifying essence. A sustainable city which is in sync with its natural resources, provides an ideal foundation for comprehensive growth of its denizens.
CONTEXT
Cities like Dehradun, Chandigarh, Pune and Bangalore used to be the pride of Indian city planning, and were considered as perfect examples of sustainable Green cities. The cities shared a common emphasis on including nature within the city development master plans. Dehradun was known as the orchard city of India, with perennial canals running parallel to roads. The shade provided by the lush green canopy of towering trees ensured that walking along the tree lined streets was the preferred mode of commutation for the general population.
Unfortunately, unplanned expansion of cities at the expense of water bodies, green cover and other natural elements has created numerous challenges for the various stakeholders including the residents of these urban areas, and for the flora and fauna of the affected areas. Annual inundation of low lying areas in almost all cities of India is a direct result of blockage of natural drainage channels due to haphazard levelling and concretization; and the frequent heat waves and dust storms are directly linked to de-forestation and loss of the green cover from the vicinity, and from the middle of the ever expanding urban centres.
This kind of development is harmful for not just the helpless birds and animals, but also for humans. Depriving children of the sounds of chirping birds, apart from clean air to breathe, is extremely harmful for their development and all round growth.
History
Atal Indian was conceived and created by Nitin Sahrawat, who started a pilot project to create an urban forest, and Avenue (landscape) tree plantation initiatives in Dehradun. He planted and patiently nurtured each tree, protecting them with tree guards which had been granted by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, in response to his request. Within a couple of years, Atal Vatika started influencing the micro climate of the neighbouring areas, and provided a healthy ecosystem which attracted birds and small mammals. The success of the plot project inspired Mr. Sahrawat to replicate this project in other Indian cities to help re-introduce nature in urban areas.
Native Indian Trees
Native Indian trees need to be protected and nurtured, otherwise it would be a huge loss for the original ecosystem and diversity of India. India, because of its rich ecological diversity and sheer size, has unique trees which are native to different regions of India. Native trees of a particular region attract native birds of that region, who require the former for shelter, or for forage. Replacement of native trees with exotic imported species would result in the decimation of numerous species of native Indian birds because the latter wouldn’t be able to adapt to the changed eco-system.
This list describes the species of trees planted in and around Atal Vatika.
- Rudraksha : planted to commemorate the valour of the martyrs of Bihar Regiment who made the supreme sacrifice at Galwan
- Kadamba : Planted from 2003 – 2010
- SwarnChampa
- Putranjiva
- Amla
- Baheda
- Reetha
- Harad
- Amaltas
- Cassia Javanica
- Asoka
- Kachnar
- Chinar
The following trees were planted in 2017, but are now not considered to be native Indian trees. They are, however, thriving and provide shelter for nesting birds.
Gulmohar
Jacranda
BottleBrush