A 'Nature Trail' has been developed in President's Estate with a view to create awareness about best practices for conservation of eco heritage through direct intervention in an eco friendly township.
It has been decided to keep the 'Natural Trail' open for visitors in groups on Saturday from 8 AM to 10 AM. The groups are required to make their own arrangement for the to and from journey to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The groups intending to visit the 'Natural Trail' may write to the following officer at least 3 days in advance of the visit along with a list containing the names and addresses of the members and the number of vehicle, duly signed by the head of group: -
The Deputy Military Secretary to the President
President's Secretariat
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi - 110004.
Tel : 23015321, Fax : 23014570
The visitors would be allowed entry from Gate No. 35 of the President's Estate opening at the North Avenue. If such groups arrive in vehicles, entry of vehicles will be permitted up to the parking area near Auditorium. Thereafter, the visitor would be conducted to the Natural trail. At the end of the Natural Trail walk the visitors will assemble at the Musical Fountains for departure through Gate N0. 35.
Introduction
One of the best ways to create awareness on nature conservation is through direct interaction of students and civil society with the nature. Landscapes with diversified habitats that have rich flora and fauna are ideal sites for interactive nature education. The rich bio-diversity of the President's Estate serves as a platform for promoting nature conservation and environmental awareness among students and public. With this in view the Nature Trail at the President's Estate has been developed.
Roshini
The initiative, "Roshini" (a light for eco-friendly township), has been taken on the direction of Her Excellency, The President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil, to make the President's Estate a green, energy efficient and a zero waste model township. Under the Roshini programme the development of Nature Trail was envisaged to showcase the rich bio-heritage of President's Estate for the purpose of promotion of nature education through visits.
The Goal
The Nature Trail is an initiative to create awareness on nature conservation and eco-friendly practices through direct interaction and creation of environmental awareness among public by walkthroughs in the landscapes of the President's Estate hosting natural and other ecosystems.
The Landscapes
The President's Estate spreads over an area of 340 acres of Raisina hill of the Aravallis in the central ridge. It includes Rashtrapati Bhavan and its magnificent landscapes including a number of gardens amidst well laid paths, tree lined avenues green lawns with flower beds; tree groves of Amla and Banyan and a Biodiversity Park.
Apart from Rashtrapati Bhavan's landscapes, the President's Estate has an area of more than 75 acres at the western end of the manicured gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan which is bordered on the west by the Mother Teresa Road, on the southwest by Giri veethi and on the north-west by Radhakrishnan veethi. This piece of habitat is ecologically diverse and is different from the rest of managed landscapes of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
This site also has a rocky terrain of the ridge forming a crescent shaped arch over a shallow more or less flat rectangular shallow valley. The hilly area represents wilderness and harbours Prosopis juliflora dominated community in contrast to the shallow valley which has rich agrobiodiversity (domesticated biodiversity).
The Route and Features
The Nature Trail is spread over an area of 75 acres which is located at the western end of the manicured gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The nature trail encompasses both the managed and natural ecosystems of the site and is connected to a myriad of gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on its east side by well-laid paths.
The main features along the Nature Trail are: (i) Pond Ecosystem, (ii) Butterfly Corner, (iii) Ber Grove, (iv) Mango Orchard, (v) Wilderness Habitat: Peacock Point, (vi) Orangery, (vii) Composting Pit, (viii) Vermicompost Pits (ix) Vineyard, (x) Temperate Fruit Orchard, (xi) Jack frut Tree grove, (xii) Anar Orchard, ( x i i i ) Bio fuel Plantation, (xiv) Tropical Vegetables, (xv) Cereals and Millets, (xvi) Litchi Tree Grove, (xvii) Spice Yielding Plants , ( x v i i i ) Ornamentals, (xix) Teak G r o v e , ( x x ) Shrubland: Bird Point, (xxi) Forest Ecosystem: Cicada Point, (xxii) Forest Floor: Soil Flora and Fauna, (xxiii) Mica Point.
After the Nature Trail joins the Giri veethi, the trail becomes a well laid path lined by avenue trees of Khirni and cuts across Amla Grove and ends at the Circular Garden. From the Circular Garden, one path leads to Spiritual Garden and the other passes through the Musical Garden where a refreshement and interaction point is located. From the musical garden there are minor paths that traverse the Banyan grove, Biodiversity Park and finally Herbal Garden, which is connected with Gate no. 35 (exit point). Information on each of the landscape features located along the Nature Trail is displayed on the signages.
The Flora
Around 136 wild and cultivated plant species are found along the Nature Trail. The cultivated species include seasonal agricultural crops and several fruit yielding shrubs and trees. Some of the fruit yielding trees are mango, jack fruit and litchi; the fruit yielding shrubs are represented by different species of citrus (oranges), grapevine, peach, pear, guava (Amrood), apple and pomegranate (Anar).
The horticulture section is also represented by different seasonal vegetable crops ranging from Brinjal, Chillies, Crucifers, Cucurbits to tuberous crops such as Colocasia (Taro); turmeric and ginger.
In bio-fuel plantation species such as Jatropha, Karanj, Paradise tree, Mahua and Neem are seen.
A pond ecosystem harbours a number of free floating to submerged plants, besides Nymphaeas(waterlilies) A shrubbery patch of Desert Apple(Ber) is also found along the trail. Figs (Ficus) such as Banyan, Peepal and Pilkhan are scattered all over the shallow valley.
The wilderness habitat is inhabited by trees such as Prosopis juliflora, Cordia, Ehretia, Acacia modesta, Albizia sps. and Teak, and by shrubs such as Grewia, Barleria, Clerodendrum and Capparis. The undergrowth is mostly composed of weedy species such as Vernonia, Achyranthes and Pupalia.
The Fauna
As many as 84 animal species comprising 42 species of invertebrates and 42 species of vertebrates have been sighted along the trail. The invertebrates are mostly represented by insects.
Among the insects the most prominent ones are butterflies and dragonflies. The most common butterflies are Plain Tiger, Blue Pansy, Cabbage white and Grass Yellow. The Dragonflies such as Rudy Marsh Skimmer, Orange Tail Sprite, Green Marsh hawk and Trumpet Tail are frequent. The other insects found in the wilderness habitat are Cicada, Termites and Ants.
Of the 42 vertebrate species, amphibians are represented by the frogs (Indian Bull Frog and Skittering Frog) and the common toad.
The reptiles such as common garden lizard, striped skink, common Indian monitor lizard and common rat snake are found along the trail. Among vertebrates avifauna dominates both in terms of species and number of individuals.
A total of 32 bird species have been sighted along the trail. The most common ones are Common Myna, Redvented Bulbul, Cattle Egret, lndian Peafowl, Grey Partridge, Spot-Billed Duck and the rare ones are lndian Grey Hornbill, Brown headed Barbet, Paradise Flycatcher and lndian Roller. The common mammals along the trail are five striped palm squirrel, grey mongoose and Rhesus macaque.
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