Pandalgudi Restoration

Project

Mine restoration provides an opportunity to create an environment that makes a tremendous contribution to the conversation of biodiversity, both with respect to plants and animals.

A biodiversity center for the local area

As the Auroville Botanical Gardens rehabilitate the mine areas, they find a multitude of niches left behind, be it in the walls of the quarry or in the water bodies at the bottom. By using a wide variety of native tree and shrub species, that provide fruits and seeds, it can be ensured that there is plenty of food for foraging insects, birds and small mammals, which themselves will provide sustenance for animals higher up the food chain. Thus, the restored mines, become biodiversity centers for the local area.

A project over 400 acres of land

To date, the Auroville Botanical Gardens have worked on over 400 acres of land, in the Pandalgudi area, and are in the process of developing restoration projects for three other sites, in Ariyalur, Jayantipuram and Kurnool.

Rapid growth

The Auroville Botanical Gardens have planted over 200,000 trees and shrubs, some of which have reached three meters in height within the first 3 years and we are already seeing the return of numerous birds, butterflies and other insects to these sites.

Gallery

Video