Volunteers toil to create food forests for birds, animals across Bengaluru

The pandemic and the lockdown did not stop a bunch of volunteers from working to create food forests for animals around the city.

Aided by Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs), members of Green Indus Volunteers for Environment (GIVE) are distributing saplings of fruit-bearing species to be planted in vacant lands across Bengaluru.

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The first leg of the project has already begun near Muthanallur Lake in South Bengaluru, where the team has distributed close to 100 saplings to RWAs.

Explaining the need to create food forests in pockets of land across Bengaluru for birds and animals, the volunteers said they are identifying encroached government land around lakes and waterbodies, partnering with the government to evict encroachers and planting fruit-bearing trees in 30% of the areas.

“We need to remember that in nature, animals and birds rank first and we come second, which is why we want to motivate urban societies to create these food forests for them,” Santosh K C, who leads the project, said. “Usually, people plant fruit trees for their own purpose. But we should also nurture such trees for birds and animals.”

Green Indus Volunteers for Environment (GIVE) distribute saplings to residents welfare associations around Bengaluru.

Saplings distributed among the RWAs include chikoo, jamun, fig, mango, guava, jackfruit and multiple varieties of apple.

"We are sourcing saplings from local farmers in the city outskirts and from a few nurseries. Interested citizens can also donate saplings. No other type of donations is accepted," Santosh said.

The group is also partnering with apartments associations and RWAs to create more food forests.

While the group will help in the procurement of saplings and plants, the community members will take care of the maintenance. Currently, volunteers are working on distributing seedlings in and around Electronics City and Anekal areas in Bengaluru Urban district.