Swami Vishnumayananda of the Ramakrishna Mission has transformed the land next to the Bannerghatta National Park and two villages, Shivanahalli and Ragihalli, into a veritable green heaven.
The underlying objective of creating a forest by planting trees is to counter the effect of deforestation and connect this land with the adjacent national park, writes Madhumitha B.
It's a lazy Sunday afternoon. You can hear birdsong from somewhere in the distance. The vast expanse of a tree provides the ideal cover for the bird that prefers to stay out of sight. But we try to get a glimpse of it.
Just as the eyes travel across the length and breadth of the branches in a bid to spot the bird, there is another chirp and then some more, creating a stream of melody. And then the eye catches the scurrying of two squirrels, either in play or challenge. Back in the days when Bangalore lived up to its tag of being the 'Garden City', a typical day would include all these sights and sounds. Today, it is a challenge to drown out the cacophony of sounds on the street and in our mind, just to listen to the chirping.
And steadily, that sweet sound of the bird on the tree outside your window has faded away.
Not just because of the City turning into an urban jungle but also because of the changing perspective of life among those who live in cities.
On the one side, there are thousands of trees being cut off, lakes being encroached, birds disappearing from the City, and other species that have either diminished or disappeared. Add to that, the increasing temperature and humidity.
But there is still hope when you see people who have put up a remarkable fight against development and massive urbanisation by keeping intact the natural ecosystem.
Along with a gradually vanishing urban ecology, threat to zones that are legitimately demarcated as reserve forests is a big concern and is a tough and constant battle.
This is a realisation that has motivated many groups of people to participate in not only safeguarding but also enhancing ecosystems in an effort to prevent it from joining the line of vanishing habitats. The breed of relentless individuals who will stop at nothing when it comes to contributing to the environment is a growing one.
On a mission
It is a responsibility as well, feels Swami Vishnumayananda of the Ramakrishna Mission, going a step further. When he began the transformation of the land right next to the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) and two villages, Shivanahalli and Ragihalli, one could have never imagined the scale or magnitude of the outcome of such an initiative.
Today, at least a 100-acre stretch of land breathes new life into the environment thanks to a large number of native species of plants having now taken root here. What was once a scrubland has been taken over by an evergreen forest.
Walking through this region, one gets a sense of being in the heart of the Western Ghats and for that, the credit goes to the Mission, which sourced species from that very belt. Such species are now thriving in an area that is just about 15 to 20 km from Meenakshi temple on Bannerghatta Road. But for any idea to become a sustainable initiative, it takes not just a dedicated individual with an ambition but also a determined set of people who think alike. This mission found both, and it is evident from the fact that this forest is home to several species of plants that were once believed couldn't survive in this landscape. The perseverance of those who work and volunteer to plant and ensure the biodiversity thrive helped fight all odds.
Fighting deforestation
The underlying objective of the effort of creating a forest by planting trees is to counter the effect of deforestation coupled with finding a way to connect this land with the adjacent national park. This is an effective way of rebuilding the lost corridors that are the lifeline for several species of wildlife to travel across forests.
Planting trees is a good place to start. And the R K Mission's goal is deep-rooted in this ideology of not just preserving but creating and facilitating a space that can be ecologically sound.
The volunteers here try and accomplish this, weekend after weekend, for months together and in return they get to spend hours in the pristine forest amidst several species of amphibians and reptiles and over 150 species of birds, man-made lakes and the satisfaction of contributing to the greater good.
The initiative does not stop at building an ecosystem for wildlife alone but also for the residents of the villages nearby who are provided with an opportunity to pursue their education and to better their livelihood with programmes that are beneficial to their families. This is ideal when working towards building a sync between man and the environment.
Involving the community by instilling a sense of belonging is by far the most workable solution to overcome any obstacle. It is one of the best practices to inculcate, probably just as necessary as philanthropy.
The art of giving is a highly neglected one. "Altruism comes very rarely to us (human beings)," a conservationist once stated. We must never underestimate the power of giving because it can lend purpose to the present and a legacy for the future.