Mixed response to proposed eco-park in Ooty Race Course

Ecologists urge protection of Ooty Race Course wetland, emphasizing native flora restoration to preserve biodiversity and prevent flooding.

Ecologists and conservationists have urged the State government to re-think its proposed development of the Ooty Race Course, calling for protection of the wetland and restoring its native flora.

While officials from the State Horticulture Department said there was no clear picture yet on the eco park, which was announced to be set up on around 52 acres of the race course, they did allude to State Finance Minister, Thangam Thennarasu’s announcement of the ₹70-crore park to include “spice gardens, bird-watching areas and nature trails.”

However, local conservationists and ecologists have said, the project, if undertaken without taking into account the ecological services provided by the wetland, will prove to be detrimental to not only local biodiversity, but also to human communities in Udhagamandalam town that live around the race course.

Terming the area “the last high-altitude wetland” left in the Nilgiris and a “biological glacier,” one ecologist said the area was home to numerous species of native swamp grasses that mitigate the risk of flooding during bouts of heavy rain every year. “The area acts as a sponge, absorbing large amounts of run-off from the slopes surrounding it. In essence, it prevents large-scale flooding of the town, and during the summer months, also ensures availability of water for streams further down the entire river system, including the Sigur and Moyar Rivers,” said the ecologist.

N. Mohanraj, a Nilgiris-based conservationist, said the government could explore the possibility of using native flora in the proposed project site, comprising native swamp grasses, Shola trees, orchids and balsams that would enrich local ecosystems and also attract more avian diversity to the area.

“This will ensure that the area continues to serve its crucial function in mitigating flooding risk to the town while also maintaining and enriching biodiversity,” he added.

Experts said the government should undertake a study of the area to understand the species diversity that it supported.