Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon
Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon | |
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Type | Natural Area |
Location | Gurgaon, Haryana |
Nearest city | Gurgaon |
Coordinates | 28°29′00″N 77°06′43″E / 28.483213°N 77.111888°E |
Area | 153.7 hectares |
Created | 2010 |
Operated by | Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon and Iamgurgaon |
Open | 7:00am-6:30pm (in summer), 8:00am-5:30pm (in winter) |
Status | Open |
Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon, spreads over 153.7 hectares, near the Guru Dronacharya metro station in Gurgaon, Haryan, India. The park contains ecologically restored desert and arid land vegetation. The park was opened to the public on World Environment Day, 5 June 2010. The park includes a number of trails and a native plant nursery and interpretive displays at the entrance.
Plant and animal life
The park has many species of native plants, including a large number of arid region lithophytes.
The park has many reptile species and over 200 species of birds and is an eBird hotspot. Mammals include free-ranging dogs and northern or five-striped palm squirrel.
Restoration
Ecological restoration was carried out in the Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon, to remove invasive alien plants and bring back the original desert and arid land vegetation of the region. Invasive alien species such as Prosopis juliflora (local name baavlia), were carefully removed and native plants of the Aravalli Range were planted.
Native Plants Nursery
A native plants nursery is managed by Iamgurgaon, a local non-profit, that manages the park along with the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon. The seedlings are planted out for ecological restoration of the park area each year during the monsoon. Over 40 native plant species have been raised and planted out in the park.