In a rapidly urbanizing India, what is the future of nature conservation? How does the march of development impact the conflict between nature and people in Indias cities? Exploring these questions, Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present, and Future examines the past, present, and future of nature in Bengaluru, one of India's largest and fastest growing cities.
Once known as the Garden City of India, Bengaluru's tree-lined avenues, historic parks, and expansive water bodies have witnessed immense degradation and destruction in recent years, but have also shown remarkable tenacity for survival. This book charts Bengaluru's journey from the early settlements in the 6th century CE to the 21st century city, and demonstrates how nature has looked and behaved, and has been perceived in Bengaluru's home gardens, slums, streets, parks, sacred spaces, and lakes.
A fascinating narrative of the changing role and state of nature in the midst of urban sprawl, and integrating research with stories of people and places, Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present, and Future presents an accessible and informative story of a city where nature thrives and strives.
List of Tables and Figures
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
1 Bengaluru: City of Nature
2 From Village to City: An Ecological History of Bengaluru
3 Resilient City: From Colonial to Independent Bengaluru
4 Nature in Personal Spaces: Home Gardens in Bengaluru
5 Nature and Poverty: Vegetation in Slums
6 Nature on the Road: Street Trees in Bengaluru
7 Parks: Nature in Public Spaces
8 Sacred Nature: Places of Worship
9 Blue Nature: City of Lakes
10 Envisioning an Inclusive Future for Urban Nature in Bengaluru
References
Index
About the Author
Harini Nagendra, a Bengaluru native, is Professor of Sustainability at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. Her many publications include Reforesting Landscapes: Linking Pattern and Process (co-edited, 2010).