Saturday, 22 February 2025

Marshland Conservation By The Residents

Can the residents of a high rise township conserve a km long marshland? Can the marshland be turned green? Can it attract the birds and butterflies?

The answer is an emphatic yes. While on my morning walk today, I observed this remarkable effort by the residents of the House of Hiranandani, Egattur, Chennai. 


Overlooking the Buckingham Canal and the Bay of Bengal, these 28-storeyed towers offer a great view. However, the canal which is part of the tidal system, had barren shores. The residents have converted the barren patch into a green shore line which will soon become a mini forest. With imaginatively designed all-weather signage, it helps raise awareness and educate the walkers, visitors and children about the local flora and fauna. Each display panel also brings out the environmental benefits of the bird or the tree.  See the pictures below.





See the saplings below.



The photo-op booth

The grassland is thriving again.


The concrete towers have well maintained green pathways.


You need a binocular to spot the names of towers named after different types of wood and trees.

The birds are back in the canal. Black winged Stilts in the picture below. 


May such conservation efforts be emulated by more citizen groups. 

Bravo Bush Walk Hira. Keep up your good work.

Thanks for browsing 

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/Chennai/22nd Feb 2025

#BushWalkHira #environmentalconservation #CommunityEffort #Volunteering #HouseOfHiranandani #Chennai #TNForestDepartment #Marshland #BuckinghamCanal #Ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh

17 comments:

  1. Reminds me of my school days , teachers used to take us for educational visit .
    Your narrative & conservation efforts by public is really heart warming.
    Thanks Harsh.

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  2. Very inspiring Sir.

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  3. जहाँ चाह वहाँ राह!

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  4. Happy to see the change from a foul smelling river to providing a habitat for butter flies and birds
    Hope the do something for the Meethi river in Mumbai

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  5. Good Article and Information. Techniques can be used by other high ruse societies located bear water bodies. 👍

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    1. Yes, that was the purpose of sharing it.
      Thanks.

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  6. Great initiative by the residents of the House of Hiramani to preserve the marshlands and turn them green . Educative signs about the indigenous trees and birds that do their part in nature conservation, give walkers something to think about. Trees ate thr lungs of the area.Thanks Harsh for a well researched and well written article.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks much Trixie for your encouraging words. It keeps me going.

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  7. This is truly inspiring. I was in Chennai with an Army Rescue and Relief column during the 2015 Tamil Nadu Floods. I saw the city devastated.

    It's great to note that the citizens are taking such initiatives.

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  8. Thank you for showcasing this! Such an inspiring and pivotal effort in these times, when urban development must coexist with nature. It gives me ideas for transforming a smaller swath of "waste/weed land" we have close to our home here. Very different conditions, but needs a similar attitude, vision and lots of citizen-led work!

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  9. Such good work ..that too in our very own land ! Thank you for showing us this .

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  10. Hats off to the residents and management of the estate for preserving our marshland.

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