The Fading Urban forest by Tejashree Karande

The Fading Urban Forest A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Design Dissertation title “The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People“

is a bona fide work of Ms. Tejashree Karande for the Final year of Bachelor of Architecture from Indian Education Society’s College Of Architecture & has been completed under my guidance towards the accomplishment of Bachelor of Architecture degree affiliated to the University of Mumbai.

Thesis Guide: Prof. Vinit Mirkar

Principal IES COA Prof. Vinit Mirkar

External Juror 1: Prof.

External Juror 2: Prof.

Date: 18th November 2019 Place: Mumbai

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

DECLARATION I hereby declare that this written submission entitled “The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People” represents my ideas in my own words and has not been taken from the work of others (as from books, articles, essays, dissertations, other media and online); and where others’ ideas or words have been included, I have adequately cited and referenced the original sources. Direct quotations from books, journal articles, internet sources, other texts, or any other source whatsoever are acknowledged and the source cited are identified in the dissertation references. No material other than that cited and listed has been used. I have read and know the meaning of plagiarism and I understand that plagiarism, collusion, and copying are grave and serious offences in the university and accept the consequences should I engage in plagiarism, collusion or copying. I also declare that I have adhered to all principles of academic honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any idea/data/fact source in my submission. This work, or any part of it, has not been previously submitted by me or any other person for assessment on this or any other course of study.

Signature of the Student: Name of the Student: Tejashree Karande Exam Roll No: 917 Date: 19/11/2019

Place: Mumbai

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Firstly, I would like to express special gratitude of thanks to my Thesis advisor Prof. Vinit Mirkar for his dedication, patience and motivation that has guided me through the course of time. Ar. Shilpa Chandawarkar, Ar. Sanket Mhatre and Ar. Chaitra Sharad for their persistent guidance and support. The officials and people of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, authorities at Shreyas foundation and Abhinav Vidyamandir, Matrubhumi School. Shardul Bajikar for giving direction to this thesis. My friends Devika Kale, Ajinkya Pehekar, Anagha Pandit, Sanika Divekar and Tina Kedia for their constant assistance which has helped me finish this project in this limited time frame to name a few. I would thank my juniors Charmie Daftary, Shreya Ganesh and Smith Vavia for helping me in need. I am greatful and in debt to Pinali Jain for always being there throught the entire process. I would like to take this chance to thank all my professors and mentors whom have contributed through my growth during my architectural study. Lastly, but primely, my parents for having unwavering faith in me and for their relentless inspirations that have shaped me over the years.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

“Architects have to become designers of eco-systems. Not just designers of beautiful facades or beautiful sculptures, but systems of economy and ecology, where we channel the flow not only of people, but also the flow of resources through our cities and buildings.” -Bjarke Ingels

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Abstract

Forests form an important part of our growth. Not only do they provide oxygen, but they also control pollution levels and balance the ecology in the region. Forests all around the world are in danger due to deforestation, reducing level of its importance amongst humans and rapid urbanization. A few decades ago, many communities relied on forests for their basic needs, but with modernization paving way for economic opportunities, people started losing the value and knowledge of forests. Our ancestors could easily recognize plant species by looking at it and know their uses, today we lack that knowledge. The conditions of biodiversity of cities all over the world are deteriorating. With the protectors of the forest getting attracted to city life, they are leaving their knowledge behind to compete in the world. Eventually this will result in neglecting of forest. This disconnect will eventually end the relationship of humans with forests. This thesis studies and analyzes the effects of urbanization on a forest and its community in a metropolitan city, and disconnect caused due to it. The idea is to generate awareness amongst the people which will create a sense of responsibility within them for the forest. Educating them about the value of forest will eventually rejuvinate the fading knowledge.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 01

1.1 Need for Study Forests cover over 30% of the world’s land, but human activity is chipping away at the tree line. At the outset of the 20th century, there was approximately 31 million square miles (50 million square km) of forest around the world. Today, that number has shrunk to less than 25 million square miles (40 million square km). Forest degradation could become a major constraint on future growth and development in most of the developing countries like India. Though it is heartening to note that the area under forests is increasing, one is not sure of the quality of the existing forest stock. For, ultimately it is the quality of forests that determine their actual value. If the value of the forest decreases, people will

start disconnecting from forests which will result in lack of awareness amongst them. This is a vicious cycle which will keep repeating unless some intervention is introduced. There is urgency at the moment to spread this awareness, as delay in it will result in loss of sensitivity of communities towards forests. It is necessary to understand various aspects of forest degradation in order to formulate meaningful policies for checking degradation and improving the quality of forests in India. Further, while the area under forests is determined historically, quality of forests (degradation) depends on the dayto-day human use and misuse of forests.

1. Forest cover in India

2. Tree cover loss in India from years 2001 to 2018

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

1.2 Urbanization and degrading forests India is increasingly marked by the growing influence of urban areas, with large- scale, distal impacts on rural environments across the country. These changes will impact land cover, natural habitats, biodiversity and the ecosystem services that underpin human well-being. Indian cities are expanding in number, density and size (Fig. 1.3). Currently, India’s urban population is around 377 million people, or 30 % of the nation’s total (JNNURM Directorate, Ministry of Urban Development and National

Institute of Urban Affairs 2011). By 2031, the urban population in India is expected to nearly double, reaching 600 million people (United Nations 2011). In the past 20 years, the built area in the top 100 cities alone has increased by almost 2.5 fold or over 5,000 km2.

3. Urban population growth in India ( grey dots ) and the surrounding region 1950–2025

Accelerated urban growth presents several difficult challenges for the natural environment in Indian cities. Increasing pollution of water and air degrades ecosystems. A continuous encroachment and transformation of ecosystems from woodlands, grass lands, coastal areas, wetlands and water bodies into urban concrete jungles further degrade those (Nagendra et al. 2012). The remaining green spaces in many cities have been transformed from their original state and species compositions to human-designed, landscaped and pesticide-intensive parks. 4. Urban sprawl in Mumbai from 1991 to 2011

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

1.3 Awareness- A tool to bring back value of forest The need to spread environmental awareness is enormous in the context of successfully addressing environmental problems. It is linked to environmental education. On the one hand, provision of environmental education creates greater awareness in individuals and communities with respect to putting environmental resources to use even while conserving them. On the other hand, greater environmental awareness increases the scope of environmental education—as a discipline as well as inclusion of aspects of it within the scope of other disciplines.

Schools and universities play an enormously significant role in generating environmental awareness among children and the youth. Textbooks reveal an increasing concern with environmental problems and solutions and numerous courses are available at the postgraduate level that provide environmental education relating to management and conservation of environment, environmental health, social ecology and so on. Several national and international seminars, conferences and workshops have stressed the need of environmental education.

5. Principles and stages of generating Environmental Awareness

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

1.4 Hypothesis statement “Evoking awareness among the people for forest lost in an urban context, through a participatory program, by providing infrastructure for alternative methods of education, will benefit in reversing the process of degradation of forest and revive its value.”

1.5 Aims and Objectives

Aim

Objectives

The aim of this dissertation is to derive a program that will provide appropriate knowledge of the forest and its resources to the communities who are connected to the forest and regenerating the forest’s loosing value.

a)To document the forest with respect to its impact on the communities in terms of social, ecological and economical values. b)To understand the application of traditional knowledge of forest communities. c)To identify the communities getting affected or affecting the forest, their lifestyle and corelation with forests. d)To study the various education modules for environment education. e)To understand impact of tourism of forest ecosystem and provide solution for negative impacts.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

1.6 Scope and Limitations

Scope

Limitations

a) Primary focus of study is the community living inside the forest.

a)The study is done only from the community point of view and not the forest department’s perspective.

b) The area of research is the entire Sanjay Gandhi National Park. c) The study maps life of communities who are not known to many, thus providing information on them. d) The study explores alternative methods of education and architecture for it. e) The research documents various forest resources and their commercial impact on the community.

b)The mapping is limited to the 10 padas of Krishnagiri Upwan and conditions of data may vary in the padas in the other parts of SGNP. c)Verbal and primary data collection was considered in cases where statistical data was not available. d)The study does not take into consideration all the forest policies and laws.

f) The awareness program reaches out to the city people, extending the impact of the project on a larger crowd. g) Similar process of study can be carried out in various forests of the country.

1.7 Methodology

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 02

Where the quality of life goes down for the environment, the quality of life goes down for humans. —George Holland

2.1 Disconnect of humans from forests Last few decades have seen a growing gap between the people and the forest. The dependency of people on forests has decreased. People relied majorly on forests products for their day to day activities. There was a give and take between the forest and people. Since their life depended on forests, they considered them sacred. Over the period of time, India moved forward in the direction of globalization, which paved economic opportunities to the citizens. People started migrating to major cities for better jobs and in hope of a better lifestyle. This created a gap between their relationships with the forest. Instead of people directly taking their produce from forests, companies started extracting the resources. With growing cities, the need for development increased. This resulted in more land acquisition and therefore gulping up of forest land began. Huge chunks of trees and forest cover was destroyed for development. The disconnect resulted in loss of sensitivity towards the forest as a resource. In today’s times, many forests are facing the danger of being destroyed in the name of development.

2.2 Urban Biodiversities and their Importance A predominantly rural country, India is rapidly urbanizing. It is becoming increasingly important, therefore, to have a good understanding of the processes that shape ecology and conservation in Indian cities. The attention of Indian ecologists and conservation biologists has largely focused on understanding “natural” ecosystems such as forests in protected areas, and cities have largely remained in the background of ecological conversation. Through the history of human life, a lot of factors affected biodiversity. Permanent settlement, agriculture revolution, cultivates plants and domesticates animals influenced the urban biodiversity. In addition the manner that land is used and built up, economic, social and cultural dynamics affected urban biodiversity. Beside that the cities’ development impacts directly urban biodiversity. Today, urban biodiversity is not only the important part of urban ecosystem but also, it is a substantial ecological and cultural integrating element. Furthermore the native flora and fauna are important tools for urban ecological and cultural identity.

6. Shift from rural to urban increased the gap between humans and forests.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

2.3 Understanding current situation of urban biodiversity in Mumbai-A metropolitan city of India Mumbai’s development has come at the cost of the environment, a recent study confirmed. The study, led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, states 94% of the city has been paved and concretized in the past four decades, and in the process lost 60% of its vegetation and 65% of its water bodies.

94%

60%

65%

7. Percentage of pavement to loss of vegetation and water respectively

“Mumbai, with one of the highest amount of sprawl, is heading towards a complete urban disaster. Basic amenities such as water and vegetation for pure air will be almost nonexistent if planners do not take note and stop unplanned urbanization and outgrowth in the urban periphery,” professor Bharath H Aithal, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, co-author of the study, told HT.

should have at least 33% green cover to ensure adequate oxygen to its citizens. Researchers said unplanned urbanization in cities such as Mumbai has an impact on the environment and eventually on health. In fact, a study by Environment Policy and Research India (EPRI) has listed solid waste management, noise pollution (traffic and construction noise), cutting trees for infrastructure projects, water pollution, air pollution and urban heat islands as the major environmental issues plaguing Mumbai. With Mumbai’s urban population growing at 5% annually as compared to national average of 3.68%, researchers said any unplanned growth in the future in terms of residential and commercial buildings, and infrastructure development would mean “citizens would be starved of pure air and lung spaces, and taps would go completely dry”. The team’s projection for Mumbai shows that urbanisation by 2020 is set to increase by 201%, which is almost double the area of present day urban growth in the city and 10km buffer. A 2014 analysis on land use in Mumbai found an increase in urban extent by 155% during the last three decades.

Studying patterns of urbanization in four metros — Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai — with a 10-km buffer zone, the four-member team found that urban growth was the highest in Mumbai (majority in north east and south east regions) followed by Kolkata (89%), Chennai (88%) and Delhi (87%). The city’s tree cover, which was more than 35% in the 1970s, is less than 13% today. Scientists from IISc said a region

8. Tree loss in Mumbai between 1970 to 2018

2.4 The case of Aarey The Maharashtra government is adamant on providing a part of the ecologically sensitive zone of Aarey forest for a Metro car shed, while environmentalists and citizens’ groups are fighting against the move as it is home to several species of birds, insects and leopards, and was once part of the adjoining Sanjay Gandhi National Park. What once used to be over 3,000 acres of forest land in north Mumbai has been reduced to around 1,300 acres.

Development Zone. That changed in 2014, when the State government converted it into a Development Zone. Once agricultural land was converted into non-agricultural land, bits and pieces began to be eaten away. Apart from the Metro III car shed, the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, now in its planning phase, will eat into the forest area. There are also plans to make a 200-acre zoo on the land, which some environmentalist support, while others oppose.

It is one of the few green patches left in the city, and, according to ecologists and environmental groups, a lot of it has already been irreversibly encroached upon. The government says it will take only 3% of the land for the car shed.

The Save Aarey movement opposes the car shed construction as it will be declared a high security area and will rob enthusiasts of one of their favorite cycling or trekking venues, not to mention the consequences of the felling of over 2,000 trees.

The Aarey forest used to be part of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. In 1949, after a survey by dairy development experts, 3,160 acres were pencilled off for the Aarey Milk Colony, which comprised a milk factory, pastures for cattle grazing and residential units for labourers. The land was handed over to Aarey Milk Colony, an autonomous body, and was declared a No-

The Aarey controversy proves that forests are losing their value and importance amongst the people. Development is important, but at the cost of a forest being destroyed is a question many aren’t ready to face. Lack of education about importance of forests has resulted in these issues in today’s time.

9. Newspaper articles coverig the controversy of Aarey Forest

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

10. Change in the tree cover of Aarey forest from 2000 to 2014

2.5 The forest within the city- Sanjay Gandhi National Park Mumbai has an opportunity to develop a method to generate more connection with nature as it has a large national park in the heart of its suburbs. Sanjay Gandhi national park spreads across the city, cutting through the concrete jungle around it. It is the largest forest to be situated in a city. It forms a green peninsula which is covered on all three sides by city. The park provides buffer for the city people from their routine and also acts as the lungs which are necessary to control the air quality around. Since it is the largest green cover in the city, a lot of tourists are attracted for weekend activities in the park. The impact of the intervention will be more as it has association with different people from the city and also people within the park. The forest area now known as Sanjay Gandhi National Park, was initially notified as protected forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and was first protected by the Maharashtra State Forest Department in 1939, though it did not become a National Park until 1950 (p.6, Paranjpye, 1997). The formation was primarily done by piecing together privately owned land. The total area of the National Park today is 103.09 km2 and Mumbai (the

second largest metropolis in the world) is the only city that encompasses a National Park. The two lakes that the National Park protects, Vihar and Tulsi are recharged by rainfall. These two lakes have a high hydrological importance as they supply water to Mumbai. There have been many plant species that have been planted in SGNP. Unfortunately, due to human disturbance (primarily encroachments) within SGNP the growth rate of both natural and planted species is slow. The National Park’s current area of 103.09 km2 is divided into three ranges, Krishnagiri Upavan, SGNP and Yeur. Krishnagiri Upavan is the recreational area and is the smallest range in the National Park and covers an area of approximately 5.88 km2. The SGNP and Yeur ranges cover a much larger area of approximately 38.57 km2 and 58.64 km2, respectively. There are also the two lakes of the park, Tulsi and Vihar, which cover an area of approximately 8.5 km2. The National Park can be divided into two other areas called the Borivali area and the Thane area. The Borivali area consists of around 44.45 km2 and the Thane area covers approximately 58.64 km2.

11. City skyline seen from Sanjay Gandhi National Park

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

12. Location of SGNP with respect to Mumbai Metropolitan region

2.6 Timeline

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

13. Map of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Connectivity to various modes of transport

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

14. Map of Padas in SGNP

15. Map of Notified and Non-notified areas of SGNP

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

16. Map of status of land in SGNP

2.7 Forest and Its resources Bamboo

Bamboo is used for making products and as a building material

Palash

Palash is used for medicine, plate making, extracting dye when leaves turn orange and for resin

Pongam

The seeds contain pongam oil, which is used for tanning leather, soap, as a liniment to treat scabies, herpes, and rheumatism and as an illuminating oil

Karvi

The leaves and the stems are used for thatched roofs. The leaves are crushed and the juice is used to cure stomach ailments.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Karanj

Karanj can relieve worm infestation and aids quick wound healing. The leaves can relieve inflammation, diarrhea and constipation. The fruits are used to treat diabetes, psoriasis and skin infections.

Reetha

Reetha is used for strengthening of hair and fair complexion. ts dried fruit is used as shampoo and detergents.

Mahua

Mahua flowers have been traditionally used as cooling agent, tonic, aphrodisiac, and astringent, demulcent and for the treatment of helminthes, acute and chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis as well as bronchitis.

Palm tree

Palm tree leaves are used for making brooms, as a base for weaving baskets, and sometimes the leaf as a whole is used in fences and temporary constructions

Forest and Its resources Khuri

Khuri is a medicinal plant used for skin diseases

Bel

Bel fruit is used for curing chronic diarrhea

Apta

Apta is used for treatment of diabetes

Hirad

Hirad cures blindness and controls growth of malignant tumors

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Sarpagandha

Sarpagandha cures hypertension and blood pressure

Jambul

Jambul is used to cure tooth, gums, diabetes, diarrhea and ringworms

Vanbhendi

Vanbhendi stem is termite and water resistant and is used in fishing lines, rope and binding chord

Ganeri

Ganeri and Savar are used to obtain cotton

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 03

3.1 Area of Study- Krishnagiri Upwan The Krishnagiri Upwan in Borivali of Sanjay Gandhi National Park has 9 tribal villages, spread across its 5.88 sq.km. of area. There are currently a total of almost 450 houses in these 9 padas, which makes for a population of 4000 people. Adivasi padas with number of houses 35 Tumni Pada 126 Chinch Pada 22 Malay Pada 32 Talay Pada 16 Rajni Pada 155 Nawa Pada 21 Keldai Pada 23 Rawan Pada 16 Dam Pada

17. Map of Krishnagiri Upwan

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

18. Map of Padas inKrishnagiri Upwan

3.2 Analyzing communities related to Krishnagiri Upwan

People living inside and dependent on the forest These are the people who are in direct contact with the park. They have been living inside even before the National Park was formed. They are the indigenous people of the forest. Most of their livelihood depended on the forest as the got products from the forest which they needed for their everyday activities. With strict rules and regulations coming into picture, they have minimum dependency on forests. Most of them work in the forest as drivers, guards, cleaners, etc. A few of them work outside in Thakur complex, Kandivali for livelihood as they need to meet the standard of living they see in the city. This contact with the city has resulted in a lot of influence on the people. They want to match up to the city life outside, not realizing their lifestyle is completely different from that of the people outside. People not dependent on the forest This category majorly includes tourists. They visit the forest once in a while for their routine break. They are the city people. Students, working class, old people.

People who are partially dependent on the forest These include workers, etc. who are dependent on forest for their livelihood. This also includes any kind of organization which is associated with forest in some or the other way. E.g. NGOs. People who are dependent but not living inside the forest This includes researchers working for the forest awareness, forest officers, etc. Generating awareness amongst all these classes is necessary as they are the ones who are related to the forest and have connection with it. Awareness isn’t something that can be forced. It comes with better understanding of the nature, its values and its importance. It is easier to instill ideologies amongst children as they are ready to adapt to new ways in life. With adults it’s difficult, because people have their own opinions, their ideologies and influences. Hence, it is importance to start awareness with children as they are the future and the ones who will be protectors of the forest. There is nothing we can do to change the past; we can only try to create a better and brighter future. It begins with a shift in perspective.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

19. City and Forest

3.3 The People of SGNP The rapid expansion of the SGNP in 1967 effectively forced Adavasi residents to be included within its new boundaries, putting them in a position of passive encroachers. The Adivasi of the SGNP are besieged by a megacity which is trying to grow at the expense of the remaining forests of the Park. At the same time, they are subjected to a fortress conservation policy led by environmentalists entrenched in an elitist vision of their mission. Today they cannot practice their traditional practices of farming due to the strict forest laws. This has resulted in them having to leave their original occupation and look for new jobs in the city which mostly is housekeeping work or labor work. A few of them work as forest guards and cleaners inside SGNP. With the growing economic conditions in the city, it becomes very difficult for these people living inside to maintain a standard lifestyle with just Rs. 5000 to 10000 to manage a family of 4-6 people. Only a few of the have vehicles, which are usually 2wheeler and so, most of them walk their way to work every day. Even for basic needs like medication and clinics, the people have to go out. From self sustainable communities they are now completely dependent on the city.

20. Corrugated sheet houses

21. Interior of a house

Exposure to the city has led to a lot of adulteration inside the forest. Plastic materials, non-biodegradable items have found their way inside the deep jungle. Though currently the conditions are manageable and there are garbage collection vehicles sent by municipality every day, some litter can be seen near the padas. The kids and younger generation are attracted to the city life and are moving away from their traditional practices because they feel it is not acceptable in the city and are ashamed of it. This has led to a gap between the traditional knowledge and the community. With only a handful people remaining from the eldest generation, there is a threat to this knowledge getting lost in this quest to live up to the city. 50

22. Wadi on the back side of house

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Then

Now

23. Mapping change in lifestyle of based on interviews by: Suraj Tokre, Rahul Maskar, Dinesh Barap, Bayma Tai, Neha More

3.4 Children of Krishnagiri Upwan ‘Children connected with nature are more likely to be interested in their environment, will want to enjoy it and save it – now and in the future’ Connection with nature The kids in the national park have a connection with nature since their childhood. They have grown up playing in the rivers, climbing on trees and living in nature. With the growing age, they get more exposed to the city life which they are unfamiliar with. They start adapting to the new life they have become fascinated with. This result in them adapting to the city life and following practices which are not suitable for forest. 24. Children playing in river

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Education The kids from the 10 padas go to schools which are situated on the edge of the park. The 2 schools where most of the kids go are Abhinav Mandir and Matrubhumi School. All these schools are Municipal schools. The language the kids study in is Marathi and they currently study conventional subjects like any other school in Mumbai. The kids walk almost 4-5 kilometers daily to reach the school. The school timings make it difficult for the

return journey for the kids difficult since the schools get over by 5pm in the evening and walking all the way back takes them an hour. It is dangerous to walk in the forest so late as there are threats from leopards and burglars. Most of the kids leave education after completing 10th and help their parents with work. The kids who complete 12th or graduation, join the forest officers in different jobs within the national park.

25. Child walking to school

3.5 Schools The schools are on the edge of the Park and even though are 5-7km away, children have to go there since there are no other provisions within the park. Currently every pada has an anganwaadi for kids below 5 years run by NGO’s like Youth foundation and doorstep school. These aanganwaadis also provide infrastructure for classes taken by the educated youth of SGNP for class 1 to 10.

26. Map showing location of sxhools children of padas ofKrishnagiri Upwan attend

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Abhinav Vidyamandir 1500 students currently out of which 25% are from SGNP English and Marathi Medium Nursery to 10th Morning batch 7am to 12:30pm- English Medium Afternoon batch 12:40pm to 5:30 pm- Marathi Medium Approximate fees- Rs. 3500 to Rs 4000 Aid from Ngos and Government

High School Block

27. Gated Entrance of School

28. Playground for Sports

29. High School Block Classroom

30. Primary Block Classroom

Primary

Block

Matrubhumi School 285 students currently out of which 80 are from SGNP Marathi Medium 1st Std to 10th Std Morning batch 7am to 12:30pm- Std. 6th to Std. 10th Afternoon batch 12:40pm to 5:30 pm- Std. 1st to Std. 5th Approximate fees- Rs. 100 to Rs.350 Aid from Ngos and Government

School

31. Entrance of School

32. Classrooms

33. Faculty area and library

34. Toilets for students

the

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

slum

Aanganwadi

Inference:

Initiative by NGOs

Most of the kids from SGNP learn in marathi medium.

Infrastructure is made with bamboo and wattle and daub

They are not consistent with attendance, since they prefer not to walk 6-7 km daily.

Basic books are provided

Many kids leave education midway.

Educated youngsters from the padas teach the children

Financial aid from NGOs and government contributes in running the schools.

Every week the main head of NGO visits the school

35. Entrance of Aanganwadi

36. Aanganwadi at Tumni Pada

37. Aanganwadi in Chinch Pada

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 04

4.1 Need for environmental education for the children of the park The need for environmental education is recognized by all but there is little actual experience or knowledge about the way to provide it. The objective of such education is that individuals and social groups should become aware, acquire knowledge, develop attitudes, skills and abilities and be able to address real-life environmental problems. Integrated inter-disciplinary and holistic education is to be provided to all sections of the population. It would first of all require a new approach to education itself—an approach which cuts across different subjects in schools and universities. The goals of environmental education as pointed out by the UNESCO are to create environmental awareness in the world population—an awareness about the whole environment and problems associated with it and generate commitment in people to work individually and in unison towards solving existing problems and preventing new ones from emerging. The objectives of environmental education formulated at the UNESCO’s Tbilisi Conference (1977) were as follows: • Acquiring an awareness of the whole environment and the many problems that have arisen with regard to human misuse of environment and developing sensitivity in people in this context. • Groups and individuals must gain skills for identifying and solving environmental problems. • To help people gain experiences and gains a basic understanding of the environment and related problems. • Help people acquire values and feelings of concern for the environment and encourage their participation in improvement and safeguarding of our environment. • Ensure evaluation of environmental measures and Programs in terms of ecological, economic, social, aesthetic and educational factors. • Provide to all an opportunity to get

involved at all levels in the task of resolving environmental problems. The guiding principles laid down by the UNESCO ICEE at Tbilisi in 1977 were as follows: • The need is to consider the environment as a whole, that is, the natural, technological, social, economic, political, cultural, moral, historical and aesthetic environment. • The need is to have a continuous life process of environmental education—from pre-school level to formal and non-formal education levels. • An interdisciplinary approach to spread awareness of environmental problems and knowledge about environment is necessary. • Major environmental issues are to be ‘examined from local, national, regional and international perspectives. • The complex nature of environmental problems is to be recognized and critical thinking and problem-solving skills need to be developed in people. • The value of local, national and international cooperation in addressing environmental problems is to be highlighted. • The need is to use available knowledge about the environment and the many available approaches to teaching and learning. • Learners must be acquainted with the real causes of environmental problems and the way these get expressed and must be encouraged to participate in prevention and resolving environmental problems. • School-level education needs to link up aspects of sensitivity to environment, knowledge of environment and problemsolving. • The need is to stress on current as well as potential environmental situations. • All plans for social, economic and other kinds of growth and development must pay attention to environmental aspects.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

4.2 Understanding the inclusion of Environmental Education in the current system The Government of India announced a National Policy on Education in 1986. While recognizing the guidelines for imparting environment education, it emphasizes that, “there is a paramount need to create an environmental consciousness.” Environmental education at primary and primary level

the Preeconomic:

The environmental education in India has a traditional base and its starts from early childhood at home and in immediate neighbourhood. During early childhood manipulative skills are developed through helping in the home and at play. Knowingly and unknowingly one receives informal training in personal hygiene, problems of food and water contamination. At the pre-primary level the basic objectives should be to address the child’s emotional orientation to nature and to the environment of home and neighbourhood. However, at the

primary level the students should be molded to understand the importance of environmental protection and should be exposed directly to the nature and environment. Hence, formal environmental education can be introduced with the subjects like hygiene, study of nature, population education and values. Environmental Secondary Level:

Education

the

Education at the secondary level must emphasize at least one of the following approaches to study nature and environment: (a) Involving children in out-of-school activities, problem solving and community activities related to environmental problems. (b) Giving them inputs on basic environmental factors such as ecology, resource distribution, population dynamics, population balance, and the problems of hunger and starvation.

4.3 Methods of Including Environmental Education in curriculam: Active community participation will enable children to realise their social and environmental responsibilities. To achieve this partnership, it is necessary that different agencies from the community such as the Panchayat, Municipal Corporation bodies, NGOs, social workers and scientific and research institutions be involved. The media could arrange exhibitions, films/video shows, awareness programmes and reading materials for dissemination among students. Proactive involvement of the community in the entire process of Environmental Education is necessary. Dynamic networking and cooperation among the various individuals, community, organisations, and the schools could produce the desired results. Significant elements of the content and process including projects and activities for Environmental Education as an interdisciplinary subject has not only to lay emphasis on content but also on the development of awareness, attitudes and skills, leading to action. The content and process including projects and activities are to be geared

towards

creating

world.

There is a nationwide commonality of perception regarding the major concerns and issues of Environmental education. These include: •Concept and meaning of environment •Components of environment •Natural resources •Pollution and related problems •Current environmental concerns and interdependence between man and nature •Energy management •Toxicology •Health hazards •Ecology/ecosystem •Bio-technology and environment •Sustainable development •Population and development and the quality of life • Environmental policies and legal provisions Environmental Education is not merely the transfer of knowledge; it is an approach to learning by providing direct exposure to the environment, using active, hands-on discovery method with emphasis on learning by doing, exploring and problem solving.

38. Stages of Inclusion of Environmental Education

sustainable

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

4.4 Education Module Greening the curriculum refers to the infusion of environmental and sustainability perspectives into the school curriculum. The key is the perspective and the approach in which the contents are explored and learnt. Many people think of a Green Curriculum as ‘nature studies’— a supplement to the educational system, an activity that largely takes place outside school and which relates only tangentially to the core curriculum.

exposure to the environment and learning. The direct contact with the environment provides the relevant context for acquiring knowledge, skills, aesthetic appreciation and practical experience to learning.

The objective of environmental education had been limited to: Learning about the environment; Learning through the environment; and Learning for the environment. Learning about the environment: Learning about the environment focuses mainly on acquisition of knowledge and understanding of our surroundings and related issues Learning for the environment: Learning for the environment aims at the development of an informed response and responsibility towards the environment. It goes beyond the acquisition of skills and knowledge. It is concerned with the formation of attitudes that lead to personal environmental ethics which will involve people in actions for the conservation and preservation of our national, social and cultural heritage.

Learning through the environment: Learning through the environment refers to the processes of learning while being engaged with environment inside and outside the classroom. It focuses on learning process in addition to books and lectures, but by observation, hands-on experience, learning-by-doing, problem-solving through

4.5 Concept of Green School Schools can play a pivotal role in the development of not only knowledge and understanding but also in creating the foundation of environmental ethics among the students. It is well known that skills, habits, attitudes and values are inculcated from the early years in an individual’s life. All these efforts are augmented if we have a sense of belonging towards the school and its surroundings. This sense of belonging comes when one actively engages with the school in many ways. The school environment, therefore, should encourage, support and nurture students’ growing capacities as learners through its Green environment, curriculum and teachinglearning. This will allow them to connect with their surroundings and attend to their health and safety needs, besides motivating them to learn and imbibe a sense of belongingness, sensitivity towards the school, society and eventually our planet. The Green School is visualised as a school guided by the principles of environmental sustainability. It seeks to create a conducive environment to fully utilise all resources

and opportunities inside and outside the school to sensitise teachers and students for environmental sustainability through active involvement of the community. This is not a one-time phenomenon but demands ongoing, continuous and synergistic efforts of all stakeholders towards improving the environment of the school and its surroundings. In such an environment students’ learning experiences are no longer confined to the classroom, but extend outside the classroom in the field as well. These sites are resources and used as opportunities for students to engage in direct and first-hand experiences. These help students to consolidate and apply knowledge, gain understanding of environmental processes, inter-relationships and issues, acquire a number of life skills and help foster attitudes, values and sensitivity towards environmental concerns. Such an education is holistic in nature and ensures the overall development of the students as it is integrated and embedded across all aspects of the school, encompassing formal and informal learning experiences inside and outside the school boundary.

39. Inclusion of Environmental Education

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

4.6 What they can learn?

4.7 Scope for Higher education Since SGNP is a biodiversity rich area, there is an opportunity for academicians and researchers to study about it through in-situ method. All the natural ecosystems are in their purest form inside and hence accurate results for experiments will be achievable. Along with this, the kids who are interested in a career in forest management and forest conservation can also get a platform for studying. Since Mumbai is a metropolitan, it will attract researchers from all over the world.

Research in the various fields can take place under one roof. Subjects like: Forest genetics Geology Hydrology Forest seeds and germination Forest biotechnology Botany Management of forest resources Exploring construction techniques for eco sensitive areas Environmental Education, etc. can be studied in detail here.

40. Opportunity for higher education

Geology

Hydrology

Seed Science

Biotechnology

Botany

41. Fields of research

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Sustainable construction techniques

4.8 Community-based Forest Management and Community-based Forest

The renewed interest in forests and forest governance that has emerged amid worldwide concern about climate change has created impetus for reforms in the forest sector that address the drivers of degradation and deforestation. Not coincidentally, much more attention is also being paid to the role of community-managed forests as a protector of forests and a supplier of goods and services. There is ample evidence in developed and developing countries that, with the recognition of local forest tenure, forest production and processing by communities and other smallholders have, over time, become the predominant component of industry.

Community Participation

Sustainable management

Currently the people of SGNP work as helping staff,at construction sites, etc. If given an opportunity these people can generate economy by making forest products using thir traditional knowledge and are empowered to create and grow a range of forest-based livelihood and enterprise activities to improve their quality of life and raise their incomes.

Forest resource based industry

Non- Timber forest products

Self- dependant economy

42. Forest Economy

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 05 Case Study

5.1 Shreyas Foundation, Ahmedabad Objective: The case study understands an education module which helps in the overall development of the child. It also looks at integration of nature in a school environment.

Location and site context: The site is situated on the east of Sabarmati River, in an urban setting surrounded by residential low rise buildings and bungalows.

Location : Manekbaug, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

The topography of the site is spread across a hill which consists of a natural ecosystem, like a wooded oasis in an urban region. The campus provides habitat for various animals and birds. This gives an opportunity for making nature a part of the school.

Typology : Institute Area: 28 acre Project Year : 1961 Architects: Balkrishna Doshi and Kamal Mangaldas

The average summer temperature of Ahmedabad is 40o C and average winter temperature is 27o C. Due to the natural context of the site, the heat is not harsh inside the campus and there is sufficient shade throughout to carry out the school activities.

43. Location of Shreyas Foundation.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Vision: To create an ecosystem for learning that enables its students to explore their heritage, discover their true potential, understand their responsibility as global citizens, ignite in them creativity and curiosity to question boundaries, and instills in them the desire, capability and self-confidence to pursue excellence. The welfare, spiritual growth and character building of a child are deep-rooted in the foundation of Shreyas. The institute is devoted to holistic development, value-based education and the wellbeing of children.

Inclusion of environment in learning: All the trees in the campus have a board wit their names and uses on them. This helps the children in identifying trees. The classrooms overlook courtyards which provide open classroom spaces.

44. Open and Built (Classrooms)

45. Plan

Education: Four main sections, collectively called the Shreyas Vikas Kendra, based on mixed age groups, and not by standards, are as under: Shishu: age 2.5 to 5 years Arun: age 6 to 7 years Kesari: age 8 to 12 years Kishore: age 13 to 16 years. There are no more than 35 children with one adult. The Shishu and Arun sections follow Montessori system of learning. Shreyas offers a range of activities throughout the day, including yoga, martial arts, camping, horse-riding, swimming, sports, dance, music, art classes, science laboratories, museums, library, and Balgram SOS (Children’s Home).

Children have a choice of work in languages, mathematics, general knowledge and other subjects. Children attend special subject rooms for music, dance, art, craft, pottery work, social and natural sciences. There are various other facilities to promote interactive and integral learning. Children have no examinations until class 5. There are no competitions, rewards or punishments. Balgram SOS program was launched to provide equal opportunities to children from varied socio-economic backgrounds and to the lost, parentless and destitute children, in need of a family and the security of a home. Shreyas Balgram began operation with self-sufficient cottages, each with a mother and nine to ten children.

46. Boards of tree names

47. Semi-open classrooms

48. Tree plantation programme

49. Play area designed as per contour

50. Balgram SOS children playing

51. Open classrooms

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Area Statement: Circulation 5160 sq.m.

Playground 11510 sq.m.

Architecture: An efficient modular system was created that can be used as building blocks. The basic module of a 9mx12m block was used. The classrooms for nursery to 1st std. are single storey with toilets included in every classroom. The primary and higher education blocks are double storey with provisions of male and female toilets on separate floors. The classrooms have natural light and ventilation. The campus is barrier free. pathways are paved and shaded by trees. The site is divided into 3 major parts. The admin and gathering spaces in the centre, the nursery block at one end of the site and the primary and secondary block at the other end. The spaces are designed such that the children can be visually connected to the surrounding. Courtyards between blocks provide area for outdoor gathering and playing. The play area is designed as per the contours of the site. The school also houses a folk museum within its premises.

Swiming Pool 1215 sq.m. Amphitheatre 2245 sq.m. Arts and Craft room 315 sq.m. Workshop 200 sq.m. Kalpana Museum 100 sq.m.

Classroom Toilet 52. Plan and section of Classroom

Multipurpose Hall 400 sq.m. Admin and Library 495 sq.m.

Inferences

Music and Dance room 385 sq.m.

The curriculam is designed such that there is holistic development of child.

Folk Museum 1380 sq.m.

Play Area 1500 sq.m.

Awareness of the surrounding context is given importance and has been included in everyday activities of the children.

Primary and Secondary Section 1680 sq.m.

The school is surrounded by dense vegetation which allows the campus to merge with the landscape.

Pre Primary Section 1080 sq.m.

Staff homes 1180 sq.m. Balgram SOS residents 2025 sq.m. Computer and science lab 105 sq.m.

Connections to all structures is provided through pathways, which brings the entire design together. 73

5.2 Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (Aaeti), Rajasthan Objective: The case study helps understands the curriculam for a research and training program and integration of sustainable architecture in an eco-sensitive context. Location : Nimli, Rajashthan, India Typology : Institute Area: 9.66 Acres Project Year : 2015 Architects: PSDA Studio

53. Location of Aaeti

Location and site context: The project site is semi-arid and highly undulated with a seasonal stream (nallah) cutting through the plot. Topographically, the site is a shallow valley with the nallah being the lowest point, and the highest points located along its eastern and western edge. The site is part of the larger natural drainage pattern of the area, the nallah (seasonal stream) cuts through the site; and the catchment is vast. In Neemli, the average peak summer temperature reaches 44°C and drops to 7°C. During the monsoons, humidity can be as high as 80-100 per cent, making for unbearable heat. The advantage is the ‘microclimate’ – shrub-forests surrounding the campus and a seasonal wind regime.

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

About AAETI

Short term courses:

AAETI is a project of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). A learning, training and innovation centre designed to find appropriate and affordable solutions to some of the most pressing problems faced by the global South — from climate change, air pollution and urban mobility to water and waste management and environmental degradation.

• Technical workshops on: 1.How to build rainwater harvesting system 2.Decentralized wastewater treatment structures 3.Policy briefing on ecological poverty and food safety

The institute has been named after the late Anil Agarwal, CSE’s founder-director and a leading figure in India’s environmental movement. The Institute conducts its courses on this campus through six schools of learning. The faculty comprises some of the foremost experts in their fields — from India and other countries. It aims to build capacities of a range of audiences – regulators, lawmakers, communicators, professionals, students, civil society members and administrators. Vision: As a public interest organization, the Centre supports and organizes information flow in a way that the better organized sections of the world get to hear the problems and perspectives of the less organized. Environmental issues are seen in an anthropocentric perspective that seeks to bring about changes in the behavior of human societies through appropriate governance systems, human-nature interactions, and the use of science and technology. Training Program: AAETI serves as a research, academic and capacity building hub that conducts a number of short and long-term courses and training programs.

• Hands-on training on: 1. Environmental communication 2.Information management and advocacy 3.Environmental Impact Assessment 4.Managing Urban growth and mobility Long term courses: • Environmental governance in India • State of natural resource management in the country • Poverty and Biomas economy • Urban growth challenges • Industrial trajectory and pollution control • Global environmental negotiations Training Methodology: 1. Classroom lectures 2. Seminars 3. Local field excrusions 4. Week long field visits to rural India 5. Interaction with communities Infrastructure Facilities: Currently, the campus can house some 100 guests and some 40-50 permanent staff. The cafeteria has a sitting capacity of 150 people. The academic block has 6 classrooms of various sizes with their capacities ranging from 35 people to 124. The campus also houses CSE’s pollution monitoring laboratory, which is designed as India’s first faecal sludge testing laboratory.

Design Considerations Architecture:

and

Summer season

Courtyard

Winter season

Building envelope: Rajasthan’s traditional architecture has mastered the modern art of passive building design – dense, compactly built structures with narrow passages that minimize direct exposure to the sun. AAETI follows the same design strategies.

Buildings are designed with courtyards or cutouts to provide natural ventilation and daylighting. Introduction of special wind shelves in the corridors of student housing blocks allow the hot air from building to escape facilitating cross ventilation in all rooms.

54. Planning Considerations for Campus

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

North

West

Insulation 50mm

East

South

Orientation: The buildings are in the east-west direction, which reduced exposion to the harsh summer sun. 90 per cent of the windows and ventilators (fenestrations) open in the north or south direction,narrow floor-plate depth & light shelves.

Inner 200mm ACC

Outer 100mm ACC

Material: Aerated Autoclave Concrete (AAC) block are used because they are manufactured using high recycled waste (fly ash) and provide better insulation. Fly ash bricks are used for non-structural work and partition while ACC blocks are used in the envelope owning.

55. Waste Management

Kitchen and Serving Student Housing

Multi-purpose room Gym

Staff Housing Faculty Housing

Guest House

Parking

Academic Block

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Dining

56. Plan of AAETI

Area Statement: Circulation 7070 sq.m.

57. Waste segregation at source in the campus

Parking 815 sq.m. Student Housing 4135 sq.m.

58. Topography of the site

Faculty Housing 1670 sq.m.

59. Courtyard for gathering and ventilation

Guest House 935 sq.m.

Inferences

Staff Housing 935 sq.m. Gym 315 sq.m. Seminar room 600 sq.m. Lab 300 sq.m. Multipurpose room 130 sq.m. Dining 130 sq.m. Kitchen 110 sq.m. Serving area 100 sq.m. Toilets 260 sq.m.

The institute has a diverse scope for research and training in the environment sector which can be learnt by people of all age groups and professions. Along with learning from experts, the planning of the institute itself offers a lot of learning in terms ofn understanding passive design strategies, water conservation, waste management, etc.The integration of natural topography and water resources on the site is a major part of the planning. 79

5.3 Yousuf Meherally Centre, Tara, Maharashta (Proposed) Objective: The case study helps understands the planning of small scale industries and development of community through education and vocational activities. Location : Tara, Mahrashtra, India Typology : Institute Area: 10 Acres Project Year : On-going

Location and site context: The Centre at Tara is located along the Mumbai Goa highway. The centre is located in a country side surrounded by mountains and in close proximity to the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. Tara has a tropical climate. There is significant rainfall in most months of the year. Temperature: The average summer o temperature is 33 C and average winter temperature is 23o C.

Architects: Studio Pod

60. Location of Yousuf Meherally Centre

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

About:

Program:

Yusuf Meherally Centre is a voluntary organization. which has philanthropic initiatives for rural development based on philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi Out of the 10 centres located across India.

In Tara in Raigad District of Maharashtra, the Centre has two high schools, a Marathi medium and an Urdu medium.

Works: This centre engaged the village tribal population in various small scale units of preparing edible oil, pottery, nonedible oil, soap, Bakery unit, compost etc. It also has a school where 400 tribal children learn for free and a hostel where 100 girls stay – funded my the donation the organization receives. It also has a medical centre of its own. Aims and Objectives: • To do constructive and nation building work among all sections of society. • To undertake rural development activities. • To promote and undertake khadi and village industries. • To create awareness of the importance of maintaining ecological balance. • To undertake health and educational activities • To organize women, youth and Self Help Groups. • To promote employment in several areas and to provide relief and rehabilitation to victims of natural calamities.

61. Site and tourist activities

A 35 bed hospital with two operation theaters, a dental unit, an X -ray unit and a pathology unit. Every Sunday, there is an eye operation camp, when about 15 patients are operated and implanted with Intra Ocular Lenses. There is a village industries complex consisting of a soap unit producing both toilet and laundry soap, an oil ghani unit, a bakery unit, a pottery unit and a carpentry unit. A Non Formal Vocational Centre attached with hostel facilities, for tribal youths, who are drop outs from schools, giving six months training in various skills like, welding, electrical wiring, home appliance repairs and two wheelers repairs. The training is free, including boarding and lodging. Since the early nineties it is actively engaged in presenting to the nation a replicable model of rural development. This model is based on its definition of rural development as micro-watershed development plus organic farming, including vermiculture, and vermi compost plus non-conventional energy plus village industries and marketing their products in urban and semi-urban areas, in addition to the surrounding villages.

62. Program

63. Plan

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

64. Planning concepts

Retain and Reuse building on site

Maintain tree cover

Campus becoming a landmark

Area Statement: Circulation 600 sq.m.

Parking 80 sq.m. Canteen 200 sq.m. Admin/ Tickets 25 sq.m. Retail 78 sq.m. Retail Kiosks 15 sq.m. Exhibition 125 sq.m. Workshops 125 sq.m. Classrooms 60 sq.m. Vocational Training Centre 160 sq.m. Oil making workshop 75 sq.m. Pottery workshop 30 sq.m. Soap making workshop 60 sq.m. Amphitheatre 110 sq.m. Staff Residence 60 sq.m. Hostels 305 sq.m.

Engaging cultural activities

Upscale vocational training facility

Architecture: The new proposed vision developed through stakeholder consultation involves creating a strong identity for the centre with stronger and more prominent presence located along the highway. The master plan is designed to upgrade the infrastructure on site with strategic infill development with state-of the-art rural training facilities. The goal is to increase tree cover and bio diversity on the site with close proximity to the Karnala Bird sanctuary. A new welcome plaza with Retail and Food & Beverage facilities shall engage visitors with locally produced soaps, pottery, organic oils, furniture and textiles. An internal village street designed to multi task as outdoor exhibition space. The village street culminates into an education plaza with vocational training facilities, pottery and carpentry studios along with an amphitheater. The rest of the site is preserved as natural forest with a cluster of student dormitories.

Inferences The center offers a variety of opportunities for the people to generate economy. The program also focuses on improving the skills of the people. The architecture proposal takes inspiration from the local architecture which helps the people feel connected to the place.

Private rooms 25 sq.m. Toilets 30 sq.m. Outdoor Sports area 185 sq.m.

The planning integrates the natural surrounding within the journey of the user walking through the site. All major functions are placed near the main road, making it easily accessible for tourists. 83

5.4 Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun Objective: The case study helps understands the curriculam for a research and training program along with inclusion for tourist activities and campus planning. Location : Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India Typology : Institute Area: 1112 Acres Project Year : 1906 Architects: C.G. Blomfield

Location and site context: The open countryside, hills and mountains of Dehradun has a reputation being the educational capital of the country. The institute is four miles west of Dehra Dun at the foot of the Himalayas. Dehradun has a sub-tropical climate with cool winters, warm and crisp springs, hot summers and a strong monsoon. Temperature: The average summer o temperature is 36 C and average winter temperature is 7o C.

65. Location of FRI

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

History : Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehra Dun made a humble beginning as Forest School established in 1878. Initially named as Imperial Forest Research Institute, FRI came into being in 1906. Later renamed as Forest Research Institute and Colleges, with a number of centers located at different places all over the country administering research as well as training of Forest Officers and Forest Rangers.

The thrust areas are: • Bio-diversity • Tree improvement & quality seed production • Non-wood forest products • Social forestry & wasteland a forestatio • Design development of modern forestry tools

After reorganization of Forestry Research in the country and creation of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in 1988, the training and research centers were given an independent status of institutes. Forest Research Institute, now one of the institutes under ICFRE, was conferred the status of Deemed University in December 1991 on the recommendations of the UGC, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

Objectives: The objectives for which theForest Research Institute was established are: •To impart education in such branches of forestry and environment as it may deem fit.

The deemed university of FRI runs the following courses:

•To provide for research and for the advancement of and dissemination of knowledge in the forestry and environment.

Four MSc. courses • Cellulose & Paper Technology, • Environment Management • Forestry Management • Wood Science Technology

•To create consciousness about forest and environment among the people through extension programs. •To do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or desirable to further the safeguarding of environment and protection of forest & wildlife.

Two P.G. Diploma courses • Natural Resource Management • Aroma Technology. It also enrolls a large number of research scholars every year for Ph.D. 85

The estate, called New Forest, is a detached residential colony in which most of the workers of the Institute live, and it has a school and a hospital. A demonstration forest, an extensive arboretum, and a botanical garden comprise more than half the area of the estate. The estate is considered a "reserved forest" under the Indian Forest Act and is under the management of the Central Silviculturist. Planning: The branches dealing with forest research proper, the administrative offices, the herbarium, the museums, the Central Library the Convocation Hall and the Indian Forest College for training forest officers are all housed in a vast and imposing main building, while the laboratories, workshops, and pilot plants connected with forest products research occupy a number of separate buildings scattered over the estate.

Museum: FRI also contains a museum on forestry. It is open from 9:30am to 5:00pm daily, with an entry fee of ₹40 per person and a nominal entry fee for vehicles. There are six sections in the museum: 1.PathologyMuseum 2.Social Forestry Museum 3.Silviculture Museum 4.Timber Museum 5.Non-Wood Forest Products Museum 6.Entomology Museum Infrastructure: The institute has a developed infrastructure of all equipped laboratories, library, herbarium, arboreta, printing press and experimental field areas for conducting forestry research, quite in keeping with the best of its kind anywhere in the world.

66. Elevation of FRI

Ticket Counter

Silviculture Museum

Information Center

Non-wood Forest Products Museum

Convocation Hall

Social Forestry Museum

Forest Pathology Museum

Timber Museum

Entomology Museum

Canteen

67. Plan of Main Building

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

68. Plan of FRI

Main Building

Library

Hostels

Forest Officers Rest House

Botanical Garden

Auditorium

69. Courtyards

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

70. Corridors

Architecture:

Inferences

The beautifully styled buildings of FRI are in the hybrid architecture of Greek, Roman and Colonial influence by C.G. Blomfield. The Roman Architecture building plans of FRI follows the Monochrome Architecture style that makes the walls more vivid.

The institution serves as a common platform for various sectors of forest related research and training.

According to the colonial architecture of the building in FRI, the big windows are down and the smaller ones on the upper side. The British architecture includes the wood and bricks interiors that give the building a rational layout.

The location is surrounded by forest which provides an opportunity for in-situ research.

71. Colonial Architecture

72. Symmetry

All the facilities are included within the campus, so the students can easily access them.

The museums act as a tourist spot which includes the tourists in the program and generates awareness about the forest and it’s products.

5.5 Comparative Analysis

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 06 Site

6.1 Site Selection Criteria

Site should be accessible for all the padas within the range.

The land should have no or less vegetation in order to cause minimum damage during construction

Dense forest and water bodies should be nearby for specific subjects related to onsite study

It should be connected to the main road to provide easy accesss for visitors

Site should have permission for construction

Enough area should be available for future expansion.

6.2 Location

Site

73. Site location

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

6.3 Climate

6.4 Topography

Temperature tends to stay a little lower than the city because of a large green cover. During winters, dense fog can be seen and night temperatures below 15°C is common. Due to its natural green cover and presence of lake and elevation to some extent, rainfall varies greatly as what the city sees and receives more than 3000 mm annually.

The park is nestled in the hill ranges to the east of the suburb of Borivilli. It occupies most of the northern suburbs. To the west lie the townships of Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, and Dahisar.

During the unusually high rainfall in Mumbai on the 26th of July 2005, Vihar Lake inside the national park recorded 1045 mm in under 18 hours. The nearby Santacruz area received 944 mm while Colaba saw a mere 74 mm of rainfall on the same day. The park receives the highest amount of rainfall in the metropolitan city due to its green cover.

To the east lie the townships of Bhandup and Mulund. To the south lies the Aarey milk colony. The northern reaches of this forest lie in Thane city. The park and these areas surrounding it apart from Thane city are all part of Mumbai The region is hilly with elevations between 30 m and 480 m. The park encompasses two lakes, Vihar lack and Tulsi lack, which meet part of the city’s water requirements. The park is said to be the lungs of the city as it purifies much of the air pollution of the city.

74. Site Section

75. Tourist destinations near the site

Area- 22.6 Acres

76. Site Plan

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

77. Site Photos

The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

Chapter 07 Program

The Program needs to be developed such that the forest is imparting knowledge at every stage. At no point will any kid be forced to follow this. Aspirations are something that cannot be forced upon, and hence this is a choice for the children of SGNP. The ideal situation for an educational program in SGNP will be to plan it in phases. Along with this, archival of the traditional knowledge is necessary as their knowledge has been passed down orally over generations. 7.2 Program Components

School

Research and Training Institute

Awareness Center

7.1 Objectives : 1 Making the children of the park aware of importance of the forest. 2 Exchange of environmental knowledge between children of SGNP and city. 3 Making the children and people aware of their traditional knowledge. 4 Documenting and archiving the traditional knowledge which is fading. 5 Benefiting the people of the park economically by developing a small forest products industry. 6 Providing a common platform for researchers and environmental enthusiasts from various professions. 7 Generating awareness among tourists.

Forest Product Industry

Medical facility

Archival

Dormitory and housing

100 The Fading Urban Forest- A study of Mumbai’s Forest and it’s People

In Phase 1 the focus will be on holistic education of the children of SGNP. This will include learning about the forest, its benefits, its applications for its conservation and to generate economy from it. For the children of the city, awareness workshops and monthly visits will be planned. With the growing age of the child, the program will need to develop as well. Provision for research and training will happen in Phase 2. This will be open for people of all professions. Phase 3 will focus on the Forest industry for the people in the forest, so that they don’t have to depend on housekeeping works. This Program will apply the knowledge taught in Phase 1 and 2 to generate products out of Non-timber forest resources. A medical facility is also included in the program since the people have to travel 6-7 km for hospitals. This medical facility have regular check-ups in school and institute. A pediatrician will also look after the diet of the kids and their nutrition.

For the education program, the teachers will be renowned environmentalists, Volunteers willing to teach and the knowledgeable people of SGNP. The institutes will be run by the government in order to ensure minimum fees. Funding from Ngo’s and other platforms will also play a major role in providing basic facilities and education kits for the students. 7.3 User:

Children of forest and city

People of the Park

Hostel facilities are provided for the people enrolling in the research institute. The duration for these courses range from 1 week to 1 year. Other than this, the Program will have policy based interventions for tourists, in order to maintain the ecology of the forest. All vehicles will be parked on the outskirts of the forests and only cycles, battery cars and buses will function within the park to avoid pollution. Also there will be strict checking of plastic coming inside the forest and while leaving the forest. If the same amount of plastic taken inside isn’t there while leaving, the tourists will have to pay penalty. In order for this to function smoothly, basic infrastructure of checking posts will be needed. This will also generate more job opportunities for the people of SGNP.

Researchers and Students of Forest Studies

Tourists

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Chapter 08 Design Intent

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Bibliography and References Books and Reports Forest Degradation in India: Extent and Determinants, V. Rama Reddy, Bhagirath Behera and D. Mohan Rao, 2001

Environmental Education as a subject in schools, Article, August 2017,Gunjan Verma, Maharshi Dayanand University

Aarey forest in Mumbai, where there is a battle over land, Gautam Mengale & Sonam Saigal, The Hindu, December 16, 2017

Environmental Education System in India, Nikita Iyer

World environment day: Mumbai lost 60% of its green cover in 40 years, Snehal Fernandes and Badri Chatterjee, Hindustan Times, Jun 27, 2017 Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) A Concise Report, Pooja Bhale, Idris Bhatti and Rebecca Mayes May 2017 Nurturing Environmental Awareness Children, Kim Hyers, November 01, 2008

Towards a Green School on Education for Sustainable Development for Elementary Schools, National Council of Educational research and training, 2015 Case study of Green School, Sadaf Siddiqui Architecture Student at AIKTC, School of Architecture, 2018. Need for Environmental Awareness, D K Sinha Forest research and education in India By C. R. RANGANATHAN, President, Forest Research Institute and Colleges, Dehra Dun, India

Sunderlin, William D., Jeffrey Hatcher and Megan Liddle. 2008. From Exclusion to Ownership? Challenges and Opportunities in Advancing Forest Tenure Reform. Washington, DC: Rights and Resources Initiative. p3. Community-Based Forest Management- The Extent and Potential Scope of Community and Smallholder Forest Managment and Enterprises Augusta Molnar, Marina France, Lopaka Purdy and Jonathan Karver L. O’Brien, R. Murray / Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 6 (2007) 249–265 Need for Environmental Awareness, D K Sinha Shivani Mehta, B. arch thesis, The City. The Forest. The Adivasi, Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture. Community Forest Management as Climate Change Adaptation Measure in Nepal’s Himalaya, Rabin Raj Niraula and Bharat K. Pokharel

Biodiversity and the City—Challenges for India , Harini Nagendra, Bangalore., 6 February 2013, Urban Landscape Design and Biodiversity By Aysel Uslu and Nasim Shakouri, July 1st 2013 Urban biodiversity and the importance of management and conservation, January 2010, Charles Nilon, University of Missouri

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https://www.visualcapitalist.com/humanimpact-on-forests/ https://sgnp.maharashtra.gov.in/1223/Flora https://sgnp.maharashtra.gov.in/1224/Fauna

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/session6140219020022-phpapp01/95/session-61managing-community-forest-for-food-securitynepal-6-638.jpg?cb=1392791702

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/ wiic-aaeti/about-cse.html https://www.cseindia.org/anil-agarwalenvironment-training-institute-357 https://www.thenatureofcities. com/2013/02/06/biodiversity-and-the-citychallenges-for-india/ https://www.intechopen.com/books/ advances-in-landscape-architecture/urbanlandscape-design-and-biodiversity www.ncert.nic.in http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/india-2/ environmental-education-system-inindia/84854 http://www.rightsandresources.org/ publication_details.php?publicationID=736 https://sgnp.maharashtra.gov.in/1223/Flora www.yourarticlelibrary.com www.communityplaythings.com https://theonewithnoidea.wordpress. com/2015/03/01/a-visit-to-the-yusufmeherally-centre/ https://studiopod.in/portfolio_page/yusufmeherally-centre/ http://yusufmeherally.org/activities/

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43. Author 70 45. https://www.sangath.org/projects/shreyas-foundation-comprehensiveschool/ 71 44. Author 71 46. Author 72 48. https://www.shreyasfoundation.in/ 72 50. https://www.shreyasfoundation.in/ 72 47. Author 72 49. Author 72 51. https://www.shreyasfoundation.in/ 72 52. Author 73 53. Google Earth 74 54. The talk making of a sustainable campus, the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute, http___cdn.cseindia.org 76 55. The talk making of a sustainable campus, the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute, http___cdn.cseindia.org 77 56. http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/wiic-aaeti/aaeti.html 78 57. Tina Kedia 79 58. Moksha Jain 79 59. Author 79 60. Google Earth 80 61. https://studiopod.in/portfolio_page/yusuf-meherally-centre/ 81 62. Author 81 63. https://studiopod.in/portfolio_page/yusuf-meherally-centre/ 82 64. https://studiopod.in/portfolio_page/yusuf-meherally-centre/ 83 65. Google Earth 84 66. https://www.himalayan-gypsy.in/forest-research-institute-dehradun-aphoto-essay/ 86 67. Author 86 68. Google Earth 87 69. https://snehisinghphotography.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/forestresearch-institute-dehradun/ 88 70. https://snehisinghphotography.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/forestresearch-institute-dehradun/ 89 71. Smit Vaviya 89 72. https://snehisinghphotography.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/forestresearch-institute-dehradun/ 89 73. Author 92 74. Author 93 75. Google Earth 93 76. Google Earth 94 77. Author 95

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