Biodiversity Park, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, in association with Department of Environment Studies, Delhi University, and Delhi Development Authority.

Around 200 plants of local, endemic varieties/natural strains that are native to the Aravalli ecosystem were planted to enrich the local flora which will not only prevent the degradation of the ecosystem but will enrich the fauna and help in the conservation efforts of DDA. The endemic local species of Albizia lebbeck (siris), Bauhinia acuminata (Kachnar), Diospyros mlntana (tendu), Kydia calycina (bharanga), Murraya paniculata (kadipatha), Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (harsingar), Sapindus trifoliatua(rita), Sapandus emarginata(another type of rita), Senegalia modesta (phulai), Senegalia catechu (khayar), Senegalia senegal (kumttha), Stereospermum chelonoides (patlaa), Terminalia bellirica (Baheda), Terminalia elliptica (aasan), Wrightia arborea (duthi), Wrightia tinctorea (also anotger duthi) were planted to enrich local ecosystem.

This Plantation Drive seeks to create awareness to preserve the biodiversity of habitat and to conserve keystone species and other threatened plant and animal species, establish field gene banks for threatened landraces and wild genetic resources, promote education on environmental awareness and nature conservation, establish native communities of the Aravalli hills and the River Yamuna basin, particularly of the Delhi region, develop a mosaic of treatment and catchment wetlands that not only improve the water quality of untreated sewage but also sustain the rich aquatic flora and fauna of the Yamuna and monitor short term and long term changes in the ecology of the Delhi region.

Disclaimer: This is an official press release by Pib.