Rewilding in Urban landscapes: A case study of Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurugram

A 380-acre quartzite mine has been transformed into an Aravali forest with a dedicated effort of a citizen's initiative. The restored site is home to 300 species of plants, 200 species of birds, 70 species of butterflies, 9 species of amphibians, and several species of reptiles and mammals such as Neelgai, Jackal, porcupines, civets, and many others. The Park became the first OECM site in India on 4th Feb 2022.

About the Speaker:
Vijay Dhasmana is an eco-restoration and rewilding practitioner. He has curated the forests of Aravali Biodiversity Park, in collaboration with I Am Gurgaon, a 380-acre mined site along with many other eco-restoration projects in Delhi NCR. Before starting his journey as a full-time rewilder, he was involved in forest conservation and natural resource management in the regions of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, North East, and Central India and worked with organisations like WTI, ATI and Global Furtures network and Himalaya Trust