Doddasaggere botanical garden in Karnataka sees rise in number of species, including near-threatened and rare ones

A botanical parkland being developed by the Horticulture Department of Karnataka astatine Doddasaggere successful Tumakuru district, modelled connected the Lal Bagh successful Bengaluru, has reportedly seen a important emergence successful the fig of species.

As per an Avifauna Survey conducted astatine the Doddasaggere Botanical Garden, 75 bird taxon were recorded successful March 2025, a important emergence from 35 successful 2021. The documented birds see 2 near-threatened and 1 susceptible species, on with 5 long-distance wintertime migrants.

Green cover

“The Doddasaggere Botanical Garden, planned to beryllium developed connected 228 acres, would beryllium the 2nd biggest botanical plot in Karnataka, the archetypal being Lal Bagh successful Bengaluru, and the 3rd biggest successful India,” said M. Jagadeesh, Joint Director of Horticulture (Parks & Gardens) at Lalbagh Botanical Garden. 

Around 120 acres person been developed truthful far. In collaboration with IT services institution Mphasis and non-profit United Way of Bengaluru, an afforestation thrust was taken up connected 14 acres wrong the garden, wherever 1,00,000 saplings of 77 autochthonal histrion taxon were planted to recreate a dense adust deciduous forest. 

“When we started the work, it was a barren portion of land. Now, we person spotted astir 80 types of birds, and adjacent to 50 species of animals, reptiles, butterflies, and bees,” said Mr. Jagadeesh. 

The taxon sighted see Pallid Harrier, Asian Woolly Neck, River Tern, Booted Warbler, Green Sandpiper, Lesser Whitethroat and Tawny Pipit, among others.  

Carbon sequestration goals

Over time, the wood screen successful the park is expected to sequester astir 2,100 tonnes of c dioxide and merchandise astir 10,000 tonnes of oxygen annually. 

“We looked astatine what the country’s pressing needs were, and c sequestration and oxygen procreation were among the captious ones. We explored the projects that could help execute these goals and reached retired to a fewer partners, including United Way. The afforestation thrust successful Doddasagare Park is 1 specified initiative,” said Deepa Nagaraj, Head of ESG and CSR astatine Mphasis. 

Rajesh Krishnan, CEO astatine United Way of Bengaluru, added that the afforestation volition besides assistance recharge groundwater, forestall ungraded erosion and amended ungraded fertility. 

“It volition enactment the preservation of 47 autochthonal histrion species, and supply nutrient and structure for implicit 75 taxon of birds, 14 taxon of butterflies, 11 taxon of reptiles and 11 taxon of amphibians,” helium said. 

Emphasis connected ungraded and h2o conservation

The parkland comprises 17 blocks, including a vertebrate block, a fragrance block, a palmetum and a nutrition plot with astir 400 types of fruiting plants. According to Mr. Jagadeesh, accent was laid connected ungraded and h2o conservation, fixed the debased rainfall Tumakuru receives.  

“We are constructing checkpoints, h2o tanks and mini dams wrong the park. Already, we person constructed 3 precise large ponds and respective cheque bunds. In summation to that, we person 4 borewells. The h2o output is precise good. We irrigate each the existing planted trees done drip irrigation and usage mulching method to conserve water,” helium said.