It sounds almost like a late April Fools’ scheme of sorts when we learn that an ongoing project has increased Mumbai’s green cover, instead of eating into it. Surprising as it sounds, for the past five years, iNatureWatch Foundation, in collaboration with the Maharashtra Forest Department, has been working on eco-restoration across 25 hectares of Taloja Hills in Navi Mumbai. What was barren rocky terrain doubling as “excellent heating pans for the city” as founder and researcher Dr V Shubhalaxmi puts it, is now taking shape as a biodiverse ecosystem.
Restoration doesn’t only entail planting 13,000 trees (which the team did) and cordoning it off from public access, says Dr Shubhalaxmi. “Locals have been frequenting the hills for years. The goal was to strategically plant trees, build trails, beautify the terrain, and then invite them back in to see how beautiful the once desolate spot can look,” she explains.
(From left) A view of the Taloja Hills site near Kharghar from 2020; the team’s eco-restoration efforts begin to add green cover to the same area. PICS COURTESY/INATUREWATCH FOUNDATION
With two out of five trails now ready to be explored, the project will take its first flight alongside the birds that inhabit the hills. “Summer is the ideal time to see birds in their breeding and nesting phases. Instead of the usual leisurely sights, you’ll see birds darting across carrying twigs to build homes. You’ll want to ditch your binoculars for a full experience,” says senior naturalist and walk leader Dr Ketki Marthak.
The birds will be showing off their best attire for the inaugural walk as well, we learn. Species like the Red Avadavat and the Ashy Prinia display vibrant mating plumages in summer to attract mates. “When children observe these birds, the sights become core memories,” Marthak says.
Dr V Shubhalaxmi places a QR code-enabled information panel under a Palash tree
To keep visitors engaged in the long run, Dr Shubhalaxmi recently stepped out to place information panels under trees like Morinda and Palash that stand tall in the area. But these mighty trees are not the naturalist’s favourite sight by far. On the contrary, she’s celebrating the tiny wild saplings, anthills, and fungi species that have started mushrooming around them. “This wild growth is a sign that the forest is now conducive to natural regeneration,” she explains. A green signal from the woods, if we may.
As for animal life, the expert recalls sightings of mongooses, chameleons and hares during the restoration. “Beyond the public access areas, the wild might be hiding some bigger species, but we have left the interiors of the forest untouched. They simply did not need fixing,” she points out. A memory that Dr Shubhalaxmi holds dear is finding antler rub marks on a tree in the area. “These marks start to appear when male deer rub the velvet off their newly acquired antler growth,” she shares excitedly.
A team member walks on the designated trail before the birdwalk
It’s not hard to understand the team’s elation when you know that the area has historically struggled with soil quality and water retention due to complex factors. From morning walkers displacing soil, leading to unnatural growth patterns, to walking paths created by locals that lead to flooding in the monsoon, the restoration has addressed all issues at hand for now.
“But there’s only so much we can do,” the expert says. “We might not like to admit it, but the area has a recurring vandalism problem. Year after year, we’ve seen people sneak in and chop down branches, uproot plants, or start a wildfire just for the thrill of it,” she sighs.
Dr Ketki Marthak
Currently under the care of iNatureWatch for a short period, the trails will soon be handed over to the care of the Forest Department and the citizens of Navi Mumbai. The Foundation is now looking for ‘trail stewards’ or naturalist groups who will act as guardians of parts and patches of the trails in the future.
ON April 27; 7 am to 9 am
AT Taloja Hills entrance, opposite Hyde Park, Kharghar.
LOG ON TO @inaturewatch (registration mandatory)
Go green
Head out to these offbeat nature walks this month
A tribal day in nature
Join this experiential walk that will introduce you to the tribal way of life including foraging, painting and traditional cooking.
ON April 26; 3.30 pm AT Aarey EcoVillage, Aarey Forest, Goregaon. CALL 8976451433
ENTRY Revealed on request
Night in the forest
Spend a night under the starlit skies of Aarey Forest in this rare nighttime trail.
ON April 26 and 27
AT Bombay Natural History Society Conservation Education Centre, Goregaon East. CALL 983317354
ENTRY Revealed on request
Mushroom farming
Forage wild mushrooms under expert supervision.
ON April 27; 8.30 am
AT Maharashtra Nature Park, Mahim.
LOG ON TO @naturalistex
ENTRY Revealed on request
