India’s first OECM site- Aravalli Biodiversity Park

In news- On the occasion of World Wetlands Day(February 2) the Aravalli Biodiversity Park was declared India’s first “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECM) site.

What is the OECM tag?

OECM is a geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio–economic, and other locally relevant values.
The OECM tag is given by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to areas that are not protected but support rich biodiversity.
It does not bring any legal, financial or management implications, but designates the area as a biodiversity hotspot on the international map.
The OECM areas were defined at the Convention on Biological Diversity that was held in 2018.
The proposal to declare Aravalli Biodiversity Park an OECM site was sent by the National Biodiversity Authority to the IUCN in December 2020.

About the Aravalli Biodiversity Park-

It is spread across 390 acres near Gurgaon, Haryana and contains ecologically restored and semi-arid land vegetation.
It has around 300 native plants, 101,000 trees, 43,000 shrubs, and several species of birds.
The park was transformed into a city forest from a 40-year-old mining site through the efforts of citizens, ecologists and scientists along with the help of the urban local body of Gurugram.
The park had several mining pits and large, barren valley-like spaces.
These valleys were restored with native plants that helped in seasonal water accumulation, making them special micro-habitats within the larger Aravalli landscape.
The work started in the year 2010, when a citizens group called IAmGurgaon, wanted to save the Aravallis and create a public space.
In April last year, the MCG signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hero MotoCorp Limited for the ecological restoration and conservation of the Aravalli Biodiversity Park till 2031, and formally handed over its management in July.
The Aravallis, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, are considered the green lungs of Delhi-NCR, a crucial water recharge zone for the region.