THANE: A retired zoology professor from Thane has designed a butterfly garden within her residential complex in an attempt to restore the ecosystem — that is buried within the concrete jungle — and also introduce the tech-engrossed young generation with mother nature and her beauty.
Dr Poonam Kurve, who recently retired from a Thane-based college, said she was appalled by the fact that natural ecosystem was being steadily eroded by cement concrete culture in most metros, including Thane. She said she had also noticed the waning interest of the younger generation towards nature and wanted to encourage them to take a serious step towards restoration of the ecology.
The resident of Kores Towers in Vartak Nagar said she was mulling solutions when it struck to construct a butterfly garden that would not just create an aesthetic spot but also largely draw the younger lot to the concept. “I identified a small, unused patch located within the complex, and after society permissions, started assembling the paraphernalia, including collecting scrap material from society premises and garnering donations from like-minded neighbours, to start shaping my concept into a reality which took nearly a fortnight to materialise,” she said.
In the initial days, the maverick professor was met with curious looks from neighbours and inquisitive children who saw her zealously slicing off old tyres and turning them into mini flower beds or joining old discarded plumbing pipes to support vines which eventually added an aesthetic touch to the entire area. The initial curious looks soon turned into helping hands as many neighbours along with gardeners and painters chipped in. Dr Kurve, who recently threw open the garden for her neighbours following a small ceremony, said their efforts bore fruit as they spotted a few winged friends fluttering around the premises.
“The real test, however, would be during the butterfly season which typically starts in July. We have planted several nectar bearing flowering plants and also host trees for the butterflies to lay eggs,” she said.
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