BIO–DIVERSITY

The well being and survival of human populations are dependent on millions of species of plants, animals and microbes. These include spices, varieties of crops, livestock and wildlife. This biological diversity  is part of our daily lives and livelihood and constitutes resources upon which families, communities, nations and future generations depend. Biodiversity has numerous values in agriculture, medicine, food and industry. Bio-diversity maintains ecological balance and evolutionary processes and has spiritual, cultural, aesthetic and recreational values. The ecosystem services rendered include pollination, chemical cycling nutrient cycling soil maintenance food security and climate regulation.
The diversity is seriously threatened by human activities leading to severe shortages of water, fodder, fuel; and natural disasters such as floods, landslides and famines.
There is need to prepare detailed action plans at state, regional and sub-state levels to conserve and sustainably use bio-diversity, to protect the cultural, scientific, spiritual traditions and innovations related to it, and to equitably share the benefits arising from sustainable use. Keeping the importance of bio-diversity in view the authorities of the Bangalore University felt the necessity of developing a bio-diversity park in the vast vacant lands of the campus with main objective of enriching the environment and ecology of the campus, and to increase the infiltration of rain water, which otherwise would flow in to the Vrishavabathy river passing in the campus. Before launching these progarmmes, the campus was surveyed and divided into nine sectors depending on the proximity to road, vegetation topography, water status etc. The whole campus is now fence with dug trench and biofence by planting Bamboo hedge and other timber plants.