Home / Environment / IISc Cries Foul: Bannerghatta Park Faces Ecological Crisis
IISc Cries Foul: Bannerghatta Park Faces Ecological Crisis
6 Feb
Summary
- Scientists recommend a 5km eco-sensitive zone around Bannerghatta National Park.
- Forest cover in the BNP landscape declined from 50.4% in 1973 to 29.2% in 2015.
- IISc study proposes strict regulation of activities across four ecologically sensitive regions.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have proposed a 5km eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), encompassing 1,768.4sqkm and over 400 villages. This recommendation stems from observed forest degradation and rapid urbanization posing significant ecological risks to the park. The proposal categorizes the buffer zones into four ecologically sensitive regions (ESRs) requiring distinct levels of regulation.
Detailed assessments using remote sensing and field studies from 2015, with projections to 2027, revealed alarming transformations in BNP's buffer zones due to unplanned urban growth. Forest cover within the BNP landscape has drastically reduced from 50.4% in 1973 to 29.2% in 2015.
The study also emphasized the ecological significance of the area, noting that 87 of 138 recorded plant species are medicinal. The ESR-1 regions, covering 635.9sqkm and 69 villages, demand the highest level of conservation.
Stricter regulations are essential for ESR-2 zones (264.3sqkm, 78 villages) to prevent adverse impacts on ESR-1. Quarrying and mining are to be banned in ESR-1 and ESR-2. Permitted activities include agriculture, agro-processing, and collection of non-timber forest produce.
BNP, situated at the confluence of the Western and Eastern Ghats, is a vital habitat for Asian elephants, supporting around 200 resident and 350 migratory elephants.
