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PUNE A fast growing concrete jungle has rendered seeing butterflies fluttering around small garden patches a rare treat for city dwellers. With the ‘Bring Back Butterflies’ initiative however, one can now see these colourful insects flying around flowers in bloom in garden patches made just for them at Vimannagar societies.
Imagine creating a butterfly garden in your residential society and living with butterflies of all colours and forms. As difficult as it sounds, a butterfly garden can be created in a premise with ease not only to add an aesthetic vibe but also help flourish the butterfly population.
Once upon a time, the summer season would bring with it an abundance of these beautiful fragile insects flying around the many gardens in the city but nowadays, they have almost disappeared. To bring back these insects that also help in keeping the environment clean, ExploreIT, a youth-oriented organisation working for sustainable development and changes in society and a group of like-minded environment lovers have come together and launched the ‘Bring Back Butterflies’ initiative.
Shivam Singh, founder, ExploreIT, said, “It is seen that in the absence of these insects, nature, especially the flora, is deteriorating. But with the Bring Back Butterflies initiative, we aim to highlight the ecological significance of pollinating insects such as butterflies, honeybees etc.”
The initiative was started in November 2021 and it is bearing fruit for 11 species of butterflies have been identified in the small garden patches created at societies including Lunkad Green Land 2, Joggers Park, Vimannagar and Symbiosis camp - Vimannagar. After sowing flowering plants, the students and environment volunteers held a four-hour observation session at Joggers Park and identified 11 types of butterflies.
“We began the initiative for the restoration of these endangered species through the plantation of specific flowering plants across residential societies, public places, institutions, corporate buildings, etc. Our target is to bring back the visual aesthetic as well as nature’s balance, which crucially depends on these significant creatures,” said Singh. He added that they are planning to create such habitats in more than 10 residential societies, three hotels and five government schools.
“When you see butterflies on campus, it creates a lively and positive atmosphere for the students,” said Col. G.S. Radkar, who is taking keen interest in looking after a patch at the Symbiosis campus.
“In our society, Lunkad Green Land 2, we have allotted around 500 square feet of area and we now have a variety of butterflies in bigger sizes so it feels very nice. Besides, it is thrilling to see youngsters taking responsibility for the upliftment of the environment,” said Col. S.G.Dalvi, chairman, Green Land Lunkad 2.
With such habitats becoming a success, ExploreIT now plans to target solution-based climate awareness and action, into one common platform by holding a two-day sustainability festival towards the end of the month where people will get to learn about the impact of sustainable initiatives and facilitate a common bridge for sustainable steps.
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