Bengaluru: Over a month after chief minister DK Shivakumar announced plans to set up five tree parks on the lines of Lalbagh Botanical Garden, forest department kickstarted preparations to search for suitable locations.Forest minister Ramalinga Reddy Monday inspected four locations in eastern and southern parts of the city and will check north Bengaluru areas such as Jarakabande Kaval, Madappanahalli Reserve Forest and urban forests Thursday.In the first phase, existing research stations and urban forest patches at all four locations have been identified for development as tree parks after eucalyptus and acacia plantations are cleared.At Kalkere Forest Arboretum, Reddy instructed officials to provide essential visitor amenities, including toilets, and install barriers to prevent visitors from causing damage to flora. At Doresanipalya Research Centre in JP Nagar, he told officials to convert the area into a botanical garden on the lines of Kalkere. At Turahalli mini-forest and state forest, off Kanakapura Road in south Bengaluru, he surveyed the tree park, which has already been opened to people.The minister told TOI the existing Turahalli mini-forest and state forest will not be disturbed as the area has considerable flora and fauna, including herbivores and leopards. A few weeks ago, residents had urged the minister not to divert the site, instead use the existing tree park developed on land reclaimed from BDA encroachment.INSET BOXKalkere Forest ArboretumEstablished: 1980, near BannerghattaArea: 30 hectaresPurpose: To represent diverse forest types of Karnataka and serve as natural laboratory for education, research and demonstrationTree diversity: 2019-20 census recorded 4,722 trees belonging to 126 species, 97 genera and 34 familiesVisitor facility: Trees fitted with signboards providing botanical information for visitors, students and researchersDoresanipalya Research CentreEstablished: 1974Area: 36.5 hectares, under Bengaluru Forest Research CircleExperimental plots: Developed between 1990 and 1998, featuring Thailand bamboo, Arunachal Pradesh bamboo, jamun, tamarind, Indian rosewood, custard apple and irrigated and rainfed teakSpecial attractions: Gum-free jackfruit orchard and 6.5-hectare Western Ghats species parkProposed development: Forest dept planning botanical garden/tree parkTurahalli Mini ForestExisting park: 38-acre tree park developed on land reclaimed from BDA encroachment and inaugurated in 2011Expansion: 35 acres adjacent to existing park proposed to be developedPlanned facilities: Expanded park expected to include facilities for hiking, birdwatching and other nature-based activities
