As part of the second phase of the eco-restoration project, the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust has started restoring the tree cover in Adyar Poonga that covers 300 acres around the Adyar Creek.
More than 58,000 saplings including six species of mangroves and 12 species of trees and shrubs would be planted this month, ahead of the northeast monsoon.
“All the species are endemic to the Coromandel Coast,” said an official.
Following the first phase of eco-restoration which covered 58 acres, the water spread area increased to 59 per cent in 2011.
After dredging and removal of debris, the water spread area in the eco-park has increased to 250 acres. In the second phase, the water spread area has increased to 83 per cent.
A chunk of earth excavated from the creek has been used to create mounds around the water body to support intertidal plants such as mangroves, mangrove associates, reeds and terrestrial plants. After the eco-restoration, the park is expected to attract many species of birds and other fauna of the creek ecosystem.
The mounds are likely to serve as sound barriers against the vehicular traffic on busy stretches such as Santhome High Road.
Sewage mixing in creek
Despite all the efforts that have gone into the eco-restoration project, mixing of sewage in the creek remains a problem.
Even though the Corporation had constructed stormwater drains from neighbourhoods to the Adyar Creek, the problem persists.
The mixing of sewage is expected to reduce only after Metro Water develops the infrastructure for reducing pollution in the park.
