Freshwater systems are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world and wetlands in close proximity to urban areas are in dire need of attention. The Nallusamy checkdam and sambrani kuttai are connected waterbodies in close proximity to the BOSCH office at Keeranatham in Coimbatore. As with most waterbodies in India, they face many threats such as pollution, garbage dumping and invasive species taking over native ones. To address these challenges Zoo Outreach Organisation has started a project in 2023 with support from BOSCH.
The phase 1 of this project aims to:
- Conduct rapid biodiversity assessments in different to understand the species assemblage in the site since species are the true indicator of ecosystem health.
- Perception studies of local communities and other stakeholders towards the wetlands and what they perceive as threats and their willingness to participate in the restoration activity.
- Develop education materials relevant to site and conduct outreach programs with the stakeholders through workshops and informal interactions.
- Identify local champions interested in restoration of the site and with potential for further training to ensure sustainability.
- Develop a master plan for the restoration based on the information on species and stakeholder interaction to formulate next steps for phase 2.
