Name: Sujith S

Roll ID: 2310110616

Date of Visit: 23/09/2023
Date of Submission:
14/10/2023

YAMUNA BIODIVERSITY PARK FIELD TRIP

REPORT
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Table of Contents
Introduction to Yamuna Biodiversity Park
About the Place .................................................................................................. 2
Itinerary and Acknowledgements ................................................................... 3
Observations During the Visit
Nature Interpretation Center .............................................................................. 4
Medicinal Gardens ......................................................................................... 5
Poly House ............................................................................................... 6
Conservatory of Fruit Plants ............................................................ 7
Other Observations ................................................................... 8
Discussions and Conclusion................................................................................ 9
References……………………………………………………………...……...10
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Yamuna Biodiversity Park:

The restoration of 157 acres of barren abandoned land on the flood plains of Yamuna began in
2002 and is now the phase 1 of Yamuna Biodiversity Park which we visited during the field
trip. It is notably the first model of a Biodiversity Park in India under the Delhi Development
Authority (DDA). Since the staff of DDA would not have the required expertise, people from
the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, University of Delhi work
here. There is a network of seven Biodiversity Parks in and around Delhi. The river Yamuna
journeys for 52 km in Delhi, it is in this stretch that most pollution of the river in the form of
dumping waste, releasing chemicals and sewage takes place. According to Jharkhand Rai
University (JRU), the main objective of a biodiversity park is to conserve the biodiversity of
the specific area and to maintain the genetic stock available therein1. The same remains the
purpose of Yamuna Biodiversity Park and the others in this network.

During the floods of 1978 in Delhi, which displaced over 2.5 lakh people, all the vegetation
and cattle in these fertile flood plains of the Yamuna were destroyed2. In order to prevent such
happenings in the future a bund was created along this area to stop the river water from flowing
over these plains. This caused the salinity of the soil to increase dramatically. The high salinity
and alkalinity of the soil had a negative impact on the native ecosystem. As the natural
characteristic of the soil in these areas was not saline, the native flora and fauna and therefore
the native species were on the decline. The restoration of this land was started by planting salt
loving species of plants from coastal areas to reduce the salinity of the soil. After the soil had
been neutralised to a certain extent the native species were reintroduced. Native species of
plants were identified from reference ecosystems which were the forests nearby. One of the
salt loving species we could see was the Heliotropium.

The former Honourable Lieutenant

Governor of Delhi, Shri Vijai Kapoor,
voiced his concern about the deteriorating
environmental conditions and the gradual
disappearance of Delhi's plant and animal
life, which were primarily attributed to the
rapid urbanization process. This issue was
raised during a symposium held at the
Delhi Secretariat, where he engaged in
discussions with Professor C. R. Babu
from the Centre for Environmental
Management of Degraded Ecosystems at
the University of Delhi. It was during this
Map of Yamuna Biodiversity Park Phases 1 and 2, alongside the river symposium that the initial concept took
shape and was subsequently implemented.
As a result of this initiative, Shri Vijai Kapoor made the significant announcement of the
creation of two Biodiversity Parks, namely the Yamuna and Aravalli Biodiversity Parks, under
the aegis of the Delhi Development Authority in the same year3.
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Tour Itinerary:

Under the oversight of Dr Prem Pandey, a field visit was organised for a group of students of
CCC-704 on 23rd September 2023 to Yamuna Biodiversity Park.

7:30 AM: Assemble in front of HDFC bank, sign attendance and board the bus
9:00 AM: Departure from university
11:00AM: Reach Yamuna biodiversity park
11:10AM: Briefing by the official at the Nature Interpretation Centre
11:30AM: Commencement of tour
12:45PM: Return to Nature Interpretation Centre due to rain
1:00PM: Departure from YBP
03:30PM: Return to University

Officials met during the visit: - Dr Faiyaz A. Khudsar & Miss Preeti

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the instructor of this course, Dr Prem Pandey
without whom this trip would not have happened. Apart from arranging the trip he also helped
in structuring the report by providing a clear structure, format, and guidelines.

I would like to thank Mr. Faiyaz for talking to us about the importance of Environmental studies
and Environmental conservation at the national and global level. He also gave important
insights about how each individual in a democracy is responsible for the environment.

Miss Preeti told us the history, purpose and took us on the tour of Yamuna Biodiversity Park.
A lot of information contained in this report has been given by her. So, I would like to show
my gratitude to her.

Last but not least I would have to thank all my friends and colleagues who accompanied me to
the trip who have discussed and cleared my doubts and helped me through this whole process.
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The Nature Interpretation Centre

All the visitors are first received in the Nature Interpretation Centre, where the officials address
the visitors. There is also an exhibition of informative posters that details the visitors about the
river Yamuna, concept of a biodiversity park, the methods used to create one, and the
biodiversity that exists in the Yamuna Biodiversity Park. Following are the observations from
the Nature Interpretation Centre.
The major biological communities of Yamuna Biodiversity Park are: Moist deciduous forest;
Riparian Forest; Dry deciduous forest with Mitragyna, Hardwickia and Teak as dominant
species; Salt bushland; Thorn Forest; Tamarix-Phragmites and wetlands.
The whole Yamuna Biodiversity Park can be separated into two parts. 157 acres of inactive
flood plains and 300 acres of active flood zone. The rejuvenation of this river front has been
conceptualised with five key approaches:
o Restoration of Floodplains: Restore floodplain waterbodies and clear connecting
channels to manage floodwater and recharge groundwater.
o Sewage Purification: Convert waterbodies near sewage outlets into treatment wetlands
to clean sewage before it enters the river.
o Conservation of Ecosystems: Develop grasslands and floodplain forests between
wetlands to provide various ecological benefits and recreation.
o Off-River Reservoirs: Transform upstream waterbodies into reservoirs to store
floodwater, recharge groundwater, and possibly supply city water.
o Economic Use and Recreation: Utilize some wetlands for fish farming and aquatic
plants while creating greenways along riverbanks for recreation and beautification.

Picture displaying the butterfly diversity in YBD. Picture displaying the different animals in YBD.
Credits: myself Credits: myself
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Medicinal Gardens

1. Aloe Vera
• Anti-inflammatory agent for the skin
• Calotropis monarch butterfly lays egg on this plant

2. Crinum Asiaticum (Sudharshan)

• Wax used for curing ear pain
• Very effective medicine for joint pains (Widely used in
Ayurveda)
Aloe Vera

3. Terminalia Arjuna
• The bark of this tree is extremely helpful with heart
diseases
5. Water Lily
• The nearby Jagatpur drain overflowed into this pond
polluting the water, after recovery water lilies have started
popping up in the pond. This happened because the
development in the nearby villages elevated their level
with respect to YBP. Hence the water flowed downward
Arjuna Bark
• The pond also has Typha genus which aids in cleaning
the pond water
6. Euphorbia Tricolate

• This plant can be used to obtain Biodiesel, which is an

ecofriendly fuel that is considered to be sustainable
• The process of obtaining biofuels is called
Transesterification
• Another plant in YBP that could be used for Biodiesel
was Jatropha
Water Lily
• Notably the Indian Railways has started using Biofuel
from these plants in an attempt to move towards more
sustainable means
The other plants that were seen in the Medicinal Garden include: Kewada
tree which only flowers once in five years; sansevieria cylindrica plant
which helps in purifying the air; Kalp Vriksh plant which can help with
calcium and vitamin deficiency; Scoparia plant which helps with
diabetics; rauvolfia tetraphylla which is effective for snake bites; Barleria
vajradanti which has gained fame through the toothpaste and meswak
similarly; wild garlic; Adathoda which helps with cough and Achyranthes
Aspera (Chirchita) which helps with tooth ache. Importantly, all these are
Euphorbia Tricolate
native herbs about which there are huge amounts of traditional knowledge
in India. Like mentioned, these plants are widely used in the traditional
medication systems of India including Ayurveda.
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Poly House & Green House

Polyhouses are structures that are made of a material called the polyacrylic or polyethene
sheets. Similar to the Greenhouse this structure can restrict heat from escaping the structure.
However, the difference remains in the choice of material. With the advancement of
technology, better materials than the green sheet, which is used as the cover for greenhouse,
have be employed to attempt to regulate climatic conditions for crops. These plastics are better
than the green sheets as they are more durable and cheaper at the same time.

While the basic functions of green house and polyhouse are similar, poly houses can be more
advanced. The important environmental parameters for plant growth like pressure and
permissibility of sunlight too can be controlled in the poly house. This allows for humans to
create the ideally conditions required to grow specific crops, plants, and trees. In Yamuna
Biodiversity Park, the poly house is majorly being used for seed generation. Seed generation
is required to ensure the balance of an ecosystem, as certain factors might lead for one plant
species to dominate and another plant species to become extinct from that locality. Birds that
eat fruits and seeds were cited as an important reason for the generation of seeds. Hence to
ensure the consistent sustenance of flora that faced the possibility of local extinction, poly
houses are used for seed generation.

Other ways in which poly houses are being used includes using them to grow plants that are
alien to an environment. For instance, across India people are using poly houses to grow
strawberries which have a very good market value. Notably this is one of the areas where active
innovation in the field of agriculture is flourishing currently.
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Conservation of Fruit Plants

The Yamuna Biodiversity Park has a gene collection with 350 kinds of plants from 50 fruit
species. They keep these plants safe in the Conservatory. This collection has things like 8 types
of pomegranates, 6 types of sapotas, 6 types of guavas, 7 types of citrus fruits, and some plants
that are in danger, like Kaitha and Khirni. There are also other fruit trees that people haven't
really used yet, but they might be valuable in the future.

A large part of birds observed in this area are either directly or indirectly supported by the fruit
plants. The birds spotted include the Bee Eater, Kite, Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret, and the
Wooly Necked Stork. Along with the fruit plants, the wetlands played a humongous role in
supporting the bird diversity. The wetlands are also a prominent location for the migratory
birds during the months of December and January.

People inhabiting the Yamuna River basin cultivate a wide range of fruit plants. Some of the
primitive cultivars (land races) that are grown are on the verge of extinction but contain
valuable genes that have potential application in the improvement of modern cultivars. This
domesticated biodiversity of YBP is a valuable gene pool comprising land races and modern
cultivars.
Wood Apple tree (Bliva), scientific name is Limonia
acidissima. The fruits have excellent medicinal
properties including a cure for peptic ulcer, diabetics,
and indigestion. These fruits are also used to make the
sacred ash called Vibhuti that is widely used by people
who practice the Hindu religion.

Pirantha Reticulata, is a specie of the amla that is found

there.
Sapota tree. This is a famous fruit with the scientific
name, Manilkara zapota. This is a fiber rich fruit that is
also food for a lot of birds.
Bilva Tree

The picture to the left shows the Khirni Tree,

which is called Manilkara hexandra. Evidently
this too is part of the family Sapotaceae. The
Khirni fruit is considered as the king of all fruits
and has the following properties. It helps with
improving the health of the kidney, functioning
of the lung and acts as an antioxidant.
Unfortunately, its availability locally (around
YBP) is poor due to declining population of the
species in the area.
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Other Observations
During our visit, the Nilgai deer considered to be the largest endemic species was spotted
running across the road. The droppings of this animal could be found at the crossroads as it
aims to confuse the predators that try to track them based on the droppings.

The sparse grasslands and the wetlands of Yamuna

Biodiversity Park are important niches that support the nilgai
deer in this particular ecosystem. The presence of the nilgai
deer in this ecosystem is a strong indicator of its richness and
improvement from the salt marsh that it was a decade ago.
Along with leaf litter of the long-standing trees, these
droppings too have a significant impact on the fertility of the
soil. As the Nilgai deer is an herbivore it plays a key role in
maintaining the grasslands of the Yamuna Biodiversity Park.
The diversity in the grasses present is still being actively
observed and managed by humans in this ecosystem. As
some alien salt loving species are still planted in order to
Nilgai deer dropping found on a crossroad reduce the salinity and the alkalinity of the soil, their spread

needs to be limited if these species become threateningly dominant. Similarly, the populations
of the native grasses too are monitored and maintained to ensure a balance in the ecosystem.

Planting trees on mounds is one of the techniques used in YBP in order to protect the tree for
the soil which has not yet completely lost its salinity. These mounds built with fertile soil will
protect the roots until the tree is big, and the roots reach the ground level soil which is saline.
At which point the trees will be able to survive. The similar method, of building mounds, is
employed in the Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence campus too for planting trees.

The government had instructed YBP to not use the water and are instead providing Sewage
Treatment Plant Water (STP) to satisfy the water needs. There is a capacity to hold about 40000
litres of STP water, which is then used.

Lastly, both Dragon flies and Damsel flies could be spotted there. The difference between them
is that while the damsel fly folds its wing back, dragon flies always keep their wing open. The
presence of these species indicates that there is pollution in the water bodies around that area.
This is because of some anthropogenic factors already discussed.
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Discussions & Conclusion

The central point in our discussion with Dr Faiyaz revolved around the role of individuals when
it comes to conservation of the environment in a democracy like India. The development model
of the current Indian government and all of mankind globally is centred around a highly
materialistic and an anthropogenic worldview. Building of roads, infrastructure, growth of
GDP or the economy and advancement in technology. These have become the central focus of
human beings globally. As individuals we need to ask ourselves whether these are the only
things that are important for the nation. The actual need for the expansion of a highway, from
Delhi to Mumbai for instance, needs to be closely examined against the environmental price
that has to be paid in order to achieve. Such a highway could save 2-3 hours of our travel time,
but whether it is worth the environmental costs at this point where humans desperately need to
curb Climate Change or risk facing grave crisis. So, each of us need to carefully think about
such issues and make the right demand to our governments. After all, in a democracy the
government will be populist, that is, the government will fulfil the request of the majority. As
the governmental executions reflect people’s priority, we as individuals need to be clear on the
priorities in a manner that also gives due importance to the environment. The term development
itself needs to be redefined in order to be more considerate towards the environmental currently
looming over human beings.

The ecological benefits of Yamuna Biodiversity Park and Biodiversity parks in general were
discussed too. The key environmental importance of the park lies in several aspects. It helps
increase the supply of clean water by serving as a place to collect rainwater, recharge
underground water sources, and enhance the way cities manage water. It also influences local
weather conditions and serves as a favourable home for migrating and resident bird species. It
offers a chance to study and revive a lost ecosystem, making it a valuable site for ecotourism
and environmental education. Additionally, it reduces the burden of pollution, captures carbon
dioxide from the air, traps dust carried by desert winds, and helps combat the spread of deserts.

Urban biodiversity parks are not only crucial for creating natural pathways but also play a
significant role in addressing climate change. They also serve as a platform for educating a
large number of people about environmental processes and conservation.

In conclusion, it was a very enriching experience through which I gained perceptions, real life
exposure to people who work with the environment, and knowledge of biodiversity parks and
their essence.
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References
1) http://www.jru.edu.in/wp-content/uploads/RTJ/vol-
5/BIODIVERSITY%20PARK%20AN%20INNOVATIVE%20APPROACH.pdf

2) https://www.delhibiodiversityparks.org/origin-concept.html

3) https://m.timesofindia.com/city/delhi/horror-of-1978-bridges-shut-phone-lines-down-army-
called-
in/articleshow/101711701.cms#:~:text=The%20flood%20water%20first%20entered,in%20a%20
state%20of%20emergency

4) Notes taken during the trip

5) Speech given by Dr Faiyaz

6) Speech given by Ms Preeti

7) Posters in Nature Interpretation Centre