Bird-watchers' conclave begins in Thane today

MUMBAI: In cities, their suburbs, and outskirts, as forest patches and wetlands shrink to make way for the advancing asphalt and concrete, habitats lose connectivity, impacting species' ability to get where they need to go to find food, water, shelter, and mates.

Shining a spotlight on the need to restore and link green spaces that support biodiversity around and even within cities is the 31st annual state level bird-watchers' conclave scheduled to take place in Thane this weekend. Thane is playing host to the conclave after 20 years, and the theme of the

Maharashtra Pakshimitra Sammelan

this year is urban birds, their habits and conservation issues.

Veteran environmentalist

Ulhas Rane

, who will deliver the plenary lecture on Saturday, will speak about creating green and blue corridors (incorporating both greenways and waterways) for movement of biodiversity across protected areas, villages and even cities. "Highways and railways that connect major cities can become biodiversity corridors if we create avenues of diverse native trees along them," he says. "If we are able to do this, birds and butterflies from the

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

can come all the way to Colaba."