Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.3, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Auroville Botanical Gardens A Place for Environmental Education and Conservation ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Herbarium (Dry and Virtual) digitization and development](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/herbarium-dry-and-virtual-digitization-and-development/) - The Herbarium collection was started in 1983 by Walter at the Auroville community of Shakti, and the Virtual Herbarium was started in 2014 as a project of Pitchandikulam Forest. These were transferred to the Auroville Botanical Gardens in 2019-20, where we continue to maintain, consolidate and grow the collection, adding plant specimens both from Auroville and from the forests of the bioregion. Resources at the Gardens include not only the physical Dry Herbarium (previously housed in Shakti Nursery, Auroville) but its on-going supplementation with virtual specimens, a resource available for public access through https://www.aurovilleherbarium.org/. We currently hold around 15,130 accessions from 3928 species at the Herbarium, with 309 species documented photographically and available online as of February 2024 - figures that will grow as the collection is developed further by the team. - [TDEF Conservation - Sacred groves survey, TDEF browser and research papers](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/tdef-conservation-sacred-groves-survey-tdef-browser-and-research-papers/) - The Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest (TDEF) of South India is a unique ecosystem which hosts over 1000 flora species, over 400 of these being woody in nature. The composition of the forest is a dense evergreen canopy of approximately 12 metres in height which is made up of a complex balance of trees, shrubs and lianas, with occasional emergent tree species. It is estimated that only 0.2% of its potential range now exists as a TDEF ecosystem, making it a rare forest type. The last remnants of the TDEF which indicate the profile of the forest mainly exist in sacred groves that are found around temples. These shrines, situated outside villages, have a religious cultural belief system surrounding the deity, which means historically pockets of forest around the temple were protected and held sacred. This stands in comparison to the Reserve Forests of the area having some level of disturbance due to historical land management. The AVBG team are presently running a multi-pronged TDEF conservation project against this backdrop which covers further study into its present ecological status, education, plantation, and establishment of conservation resources such as the Virtual Herbarium, data websites and publications. - [Native species planting: Drypetes porteri and Ecosia](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/native-species-planting-drypetes-porteri-and-ecosia/) - The potential for tree plantation, and the benefits arising from that, is enormous if done sensitively; our vision is to recreate small pockets of native forest across the plains of Tamil Nadu, which in the long term will create seed sources for natural vectors, such as birds and bats, to transport to adjacent lands. This is something that we are currently building support for at governmental levels within the state, and is limited only by our imagination, the seedlings in our nurseries, and by the financial support we can garner. - [The Global Biodiversity Standard](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/the-global-biodiversity-standard/) - The Global Biodiversity Standard (GBS) is a certification in development for projects enhancing and protecting biodiversity, by a global community of local experts. It is coordinated by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world's largest plant conservation network, and co-developed in partnership with technical partners and hubs worldwide. The Auroville Botanical Gardens has been a Hub for GBS since project inception. Over the last 2 years, our work has centred around field testing the methodology and assessment techniques, along with developing resources such as soil maps, vegetation maps, tree species profiles, etc. More information on the GBS can be found at https://www.biodiversitystandard.org/ - [Ariyalur](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/ariyalur/) - Following on from the work in Pandalgudi, mine restoration plans have been developed for two Ramco mines in Ariyalur. The conditions are very different from Pandalgudi, as the mines are a wide open area rather than the deep trench. The work has large potential because in Ariyalur there are 7 cement companies active and over 20 mine sites. The aim is to encourage nature-positive restoration in all the mining areas. Additionally, as an extension of the work, a Mine Restoration Manual - “From Extraction to Recovery - A holistic blueprint for mine restoration design, planning and implementation” - has been developed to guide the process in other mining areas around the state and country at large. - [Pandalgudi](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/pandalgudi/) - This landmark restoration project, developed with Ramco Cements, is now heralded as one of the most original and eco-sensitive restoration projects undertaken in India. Starting out on 65 acres, but rapidly expanding to 350 acres, this project has evolved and developed as lessons have been learned. Making use of over 150 native species, the project shows that with the right resources and a carefully-researched approach, exhausted mines can be restored into important biodiversity sanctuaries that have wide-ranging benefits for the local bioregion. - [K Resort, Kaliveli Tank](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/k-resort-kaliveli-tank/) - Located on 27 acres at the edge of the vast seasonal wetlands to the north of Pondicherry, our work on this resort is all about the use of native trees and shrubs that are adapted to the waterlogged, alkali soil, seasonal drying winds, and saline conditions of the area, along with maintaining perennial water-bodies that provide perfect habits for the local and migratory water-birds. In this unique landscape, it exemplifies how native species, adapted to locally difficult conditions, can create a beautiful environment that satisfies the requirements of a 5-star resort while being ecologically sound and low-maintenance. - [Coastal Forest Plantation, Hidesign](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/coastal-forest-plantation-hidesign/) - This on-going 50-acre project was a unique opportunity to work towards the creation of a native coastal forest. The land stretches back about 600 m from the sea, and within that distance we encounter a variety of local conditions and soil types, environments where it can initially be quite hostile for plants to establish themselves. From the sand dunes at the beachfront, to the old dunes rising to 4 – 5 m further back, and the clay soils behind, each zone called for a different collection of species to be used, each adapted to the conditions prevalent in the area. To support them, sources of freshwater were built, such as waterproofed ponds preventing contamination with saltwater, which would then also help the wildlife that aid in dispersing the plantation. - [Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chennai](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/hyatt-regency-hotel-chennai/) - In close collaboration with Ray Meeker, curator of the installations for the garden areas, we modified the original landscape design for this project to include native species that complemented the dynamic ceramic sculptures that provide the main focus of these gardens. We see how the wide variety of native species planted make a sensitive and aesthetic choice for landscaping even in this densely urban and highly designed and controlled setting. - [Ashok Leyland Nature Park](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/ashok-leyland-nature-park/) - What can you do with open flatland by the sea that is inundated with water for 4 to 5 months each year... Did you guess ‘grow a forest’? We developed the 30-acre site into a kind of wetland forest that has surprised everyone with its growth rate. By planting, constructing a series of canals and ponds and reworking the topography of the land, we created a variety of different niches suitable for a wide range of species of flora and fauna. The forest now functions not only as a recreational environment for staff at the R&D Centre, but also as a sanctuary for biodiversity within this heavily industrialised area north of Chennai. - [Royal Aratt, Coorg](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/royal-aratt-coorg/) - Deep in the Western Ghats, at around 1000 m above sea level, was the opportunity to create a high-end resort that fit seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. At its heart, a magnificent perennial waterfall provides a dramatic atmosphere, especially in the monsoon, throughout the resort. The focus of our work here was to position the cottages sensitively into the steep valley slopes across the 10 acre site, and work with nature to speed up the recovery of the land once the construction process was completed. The cottages are set within pristine original forest in a layout to preserve the most space free from human activities, pollution or sounds, while below was developed a pepper and ginger plantation. ## Pages - [Auroville Botanical Gardens : we celebrate beauty and diversity](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/) - The Auroville Botanical Gardens serve as a location for environmental education, as well as an area for research into sustainable approaches to land management. - [Projects](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/projects/) - Projects of restoration of the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest (TDEF) of South India. It is a unique ecosystem which hosts over 1000 flora species, over 400... - [Donate](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/donate/) - Donate - Where & How your donations are used. Education: Children are the fundamental hope for the work that we are doing, and we offer free education days - [Resources](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/resources/) - Resources and Publications, Plant Identification resources (PlanteKey, Auroville Virtual Herbarium, TDEF Browser), Research papers, Birdsong Cards - [Education](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/education/) - Education will always be the core of the work that we are doing here at the Gardens, with the aim of creating relationships between people and plants and to... - [Our Gardens](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/our-gardens/) - Our gardens are mostly the people. Today, the work continues, the number of people has grown, and more ideas keep coming to keep us motivated and engaged... ## Categories - [Eco-landscaping](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/category/eco-landscaping/) - [Mine eco-restoration and plantation](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/category/mine-eco-restoration-and-plantation/) - [Conservation and research](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/category/conservation-and-research/) ## Project Categories - [Eco-landscaping](https://auroville-botanical-gardens.org/project_category/eco-landscaping/)