400 birds flock to these man-made lakes in Pune

Pune: While citizens undertake many conservation efforts, only few projects of this scale have been successful.

Volunteers from a non-governmental organization based in the city, Tree Public Foundation (TPF), have managed to create two artificial lakes for the sole purpose of providing safe haven to native and exotic

birds

.

TPF founder Abhishek Kawitkar said the idea behind creating these water bodies was to have a measurable positive impact on nature.

“Since we began work in 2010, our aim has always been to work on a scale where the impact on the nature or the environment can be clearly measured,” he said.

“During our work we realised that birds are among the most important elements in the eco-system. Hence, we focussed on creating a space where they could thrive in peace, away from the din of the city,” Kawitkar added.

With this in mind, the TPF team of 25 volunteers created the first lake measuring 2.5 acres at an isolated area near Rakshak Chowk in Aundh in 2014.

They introduced various local and exotic species of fish into the lake, and planted nearly 20,000

trees

. This attracted many birds and the area became home to various species that were earlier not spotted in Pune.

The team went further and created another lake near the first one. This year, both the lakes were connected by a small channel.

The area around the new lake has around 5,000 fruit trees. The TPF aims to plant another 15,000 trees, Kawitkar said.

Rain harvesting procedures have also been introduced to ensure that the lakes are self-sustaining in nature.

The effort of the TPF has paid off. As many as 400 local and rare species of birds have been found nesting and flocking to the area. “Due to the various species of birds, the site has become a place of interest for students and researchers, who intend to know more about the different species,” Kawitkar added. The project has been funded by the Cummins India Foundation as a part of the organization’s corporate social responsibility.

According to Kawitkar, a pair of the elusive Asian paradise flycatcher has been spotted at the lakes. These birds are any birdwatcher’s delight, and many flock to Sinhgad valley specifically to see them.