Aurangabad, India
Green Mission Aurangabad
Cultivating havens of biodiversity across Aurangabad
The Green Aurangabad Mission is an ambitious project to plant over 27,000 native species at six sites across Aurangabad. These sites include places of primary, secondary and higher education, a hospital, along with community gardens.
The forests will become areas of rich biodiversity that support wildlife and become hubs for environmental education in their respective communities. These green spaces will also offer a peaceful place for local people to shelter from heat and reap the benefits of nature from better air quality to peace of mind.
The project will be an example of ‘urban acupuncture’ in action - a term coined by the Spanish architect and urbanist, Marco Casagrande - meaning an array of small, considered interventions across a city. Forests and green spaces serve as the acupuncture needles, helping the city to heal and rebalance itself.
Forest Maker EcoSattva
22,000
TREES
8,800
SQUARE METERS
73
NATIVE SPECIES
“We are interested to plant Miyawaki forest on our college campus to increase biodiversity and support the local ecology. This forest will help us to teach our students about biodiversity, the importance of native species and ecological restoration.”
— Mr Sonawane, Goraksh College, Phulambri, Aurangabad
PES College Forest
PES College is an engineering school in the centre of Aurangabad. It is a large campus with very little green cover. The College Principal is keen to increase greenery across the site so that biodiversity – and student wellbeing – may thrive. He also hopes to instill understanding in the 500-strong college community that environmental conservation and an engineering education can go hand-in-hand.
Goraksha College Forest
Goraksha College is an educational and research institute that provides primary to degree-level facilities. It also has a newly-opened hospital on the campus. As such, this forest will impact the physical and mental health of both students and hospital patients. Thanks to the breadth of their activities, the college also has strong links to the neighborhood community. With the engagement of local residents, business owners and stakeholders, this will be a true community forest.
Swami Vivekanand Garden Forest
Located in the heart of Aurangabad’s urban sprawl, Swami Vivekanand Garden is one of the city’s largest municipal gardens. Each day, it is filled with individuals of all ages taking morning and evening walks. From a biodiversity perspective, the garden is currently struggling as it contains many non-native shrubs and large areas of lawn. In planting a native forest, this biodiversity desert will be restored into the flourishing ecosystem it once was.
Rajamata Jijau Udyan Forest
This busy community park is located in the city centre and contains very few native species, making it ecologically lifeless. In using the Miyawaki Method to revive a native forest in this urbanised and environmentally-degraded setting, a pocket haven will be created where biodiversity can blossom.
Traffic Garden Forest
This is a community park which - though it provides an open space for local people to enjoy - has been left underdeveloped by municipal authorities. All that currently exists is barren and highly degraded land. It is a true biodiversity desert. This forest will bring some much needed greenery, boost urban biodiversity and also have profound benefits for the mental and physical health of the locals who use the park.
Harsul Lake Forest
Harsul Lake is a small dam in Aurangabad which helps to provide water for some of the city districts. The municipal authorities have created a large garden here to provide relaxing space for residents, and there are now several hundred visitors a day. Due to the park’s proximity to water, bird life is starting to thrive and some migratory birds have returned. A Miyawaki forest will provide a dense pocket where species will be able to shelter and continue to flourish.
Discover more SUGi Projects
De Ark
A forest learning center in Sint-Niklaas
Eastbrook Forest
Tackling air pollution in industrialised East London
Forest of Thanks
A symbol of resilience, hope, and healing for the local community.
