Kochi, India
City population: 2119724
Duration: 2020 – 2021
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Public Greenspace Area
Last updated: March 2023

In April 2021, the Kochi City Corporation in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and ICLEI South Asia inaugurated the Subhash Bose Park after a thorough renovation. The project was part of the overarching project "INTERACT-Bio" by ICLEI South Asia and the KAWAKI initiative by the WRI (part of the Cities4Forests movement in Kochi). The initiative was launched to demonstrate the application of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for climate mitigation in Kochi. The project aims to develop urban grooves similar to the traditional grooves that once existed in Kerala. Additionally, with this project, ICLEI South Asia aimed to address the problems of climate change through mainstreaming biodiversity objectives across the city. The park plays as a major carbon sink at the heart of the city that is home to over 300 species of native trees and many more species of native plants. Furthermore, the Kochi City Corporation is focused on increasing native biodiversity and communicating the importance of this biodiversity to residents in order to ensure long term conservation efforts. This was a key motivator for the city in the conceptualization of the garden which not only improves the native biodiversity of the city but also serves as a demonstration site for nature education. The park also includes a newly built pollinator garden that has augmented the pollinator base in the city. [1, 4, 7, 10]

Butterflies
Butterflies
https://talkofthecities.iclei.org/kochi-to-get-a-new-butterfly-garden-soon/

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests
  • Other

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity restoration
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental education
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: agriculture

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity

Project objectives

1. To create micro-urban grooves in Kochi city, with the support of city stakeholders to mitigate the impacts of climate change risks. 2. To provide a suitable food base to native pollinator (butterfly and moth) species, which will help to increase their population and support augmenting food production within the city. 3. To demonstrate how nature-based solutions help mitigate extreme heat and act as urban carbon sinks. 4. To create awareness and capacity building among regional stakeholders for the adaptation of NBS. 5. To promote plantation of native species of trees instead of ornamental invasive species to conserve regional biodiversity, ensure better survival rates and maximum climate risk endurance. [1, 6, 10]

Implementation activities

The project was implemented by WRI-India in partnership with Kochi Municipal Corporation and ICLEI South Asia as regional partners. Center for Heritage, Environment and Development (c-hed) an institution under the Kochi Municipal Corporation provided technical support in implementing the project. The tree saplings are sourced from Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), an institute under Kerala Government. KFRI also provides advisory on site selection and species selection. New trees and saplings were planted. Existing and new trees were identified and mapped. These were then tagged and boards were placed around them which include detailed information about the species and their benefits. To realize the goals of the pollinator garden creation, which was developed by ICLEI South Asia, the authority and research teams studied different types of insects and butterflies that can be found in the area, mostly native and endangered ones, their habitats, the ideal vegetation types and the conservation and protection measurements of the species. The team identified the varieties of species, their best suitable habitats and pollination activities. The garden was created with the vegetation cover designed as per the requirements for the pollinators and butterflies to thrive. Native trees, shrubs and other types of vegetation were created. Measurements were taken to preserve and protect the valuable pollinator species. Best agricultural practices for pollination conservation and sustainable use were identified and taken care of. Additionally, medicinal plants were planted to provide benefits to the community and to the health sector. Locals were engaged to learn more about the biodiversity of the area and the significance of pollination within the city. [4, 7, 10]

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
  • Create or improve outdoor spaces to help people escape from urban heat
  • Other

Climate change mitigation:

  • Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
  • Improve carbon sequestration through selection of more adaptable species

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Create new habitats
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect native species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
  • Raise public awareness
  • Public engagement
  • Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
  • Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
  • Restore native species
  • Restore valued species
  • Restore endangered species
  • Public engagement

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality
  • Non-government organisation/civil society
  • Multilateral organisation

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Kochi City Corporation, World Resources Institute (as part of the Cities4Forests movement and KAWAKI initiative) and ICLEI South Asia as part of the INTERACT-Bio project. [2, 7]

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? No
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and Aichi Biodiversity Targets. [3])
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Kochi City's annual municipal budget to 2022-23. Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (LBSAP). The LBSAP for Kochi city has been recently developed under the INTERACT-Bio Project in conjunction with ICLEI South Asia. [3, 10])

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Multilateral funds/international funding

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Lowered local temperature
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased number of protection areas
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Increased number of species present
  • Increased protection of threatened species
  • Enhanced support of pollination

Economic impacts

  • More sustainable tourism
  • Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved liveability
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
  • Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
  • Safety
  • Improved community safety to climate-related hazards

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. ICLEI (2021). Kochi inaugurates new pollinator and herbal garden in the heart of the city. URL: Source link. Accessed on 10 May, 2022.
2. ICLEI SOUTH ASIA (2021). Kochi’s New Attractions: Pollinator and Herbal Gardens. URL: Source link. Accessed on 10 May, 2022.
3. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (n.d.). Aichi Targets. URL: Source link. Accessed on 10 May, 2022.
4. ICLEI. (n.d.). Integrated action on biodiversity (INTERACT-Bio). URL: Source link. Accessed on 10 May, 2022.
5. E. Swathi. (2019). Subhash Park to get a pollinator garden. The New Indian Express. URL: Source link. Accessed on 10 May, 2022.
6. S, Parvez (2020). Butterfly Garden to Bring People Closer to Nature in Kochi. City Talk, A Blog by ICLEI. URL: Source link. Accessed on 10 May, 2022.
7. Cities4Forests (2021) Subhash Park: The Green, Urban Lungs of Kochi. URL: Source link. Accessed on 25th May, 2022.
8. Express News Service. (2021) After two years, Subhash Park to reopen by April 15. URL: Source link. Accessed on 25th May, 2022.
9. Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED) (n.d.) Subhash Bose Park Reopening. URL: Source link. Accessed on 25th May, 2022.
10. Interview and discussion with the WRI and Cities4Forests Initiative team.
Subhash Bose Park
Subhash Bose Park
https://www.c-hed.org/?tag=subash-bose-park
Subhash Bose Park
Subhash Bose Park
https://www.c-hed.org/?tag=subash-bose-park
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy. The case study was identified through ICLEI's Cities with Nature initiative.