Welcome To
Centre for Urban Ecology and Sustainability
Our Mission
The Centre for Urban Ecology and Sustainability (CUES) aims to address urban ecological issues with a view to offering solutions, and develop a skilled cohort of professionals who actively engage in, and find solutions for urban ecological challenges. The Centre serves as a focal point where researchers, government & non-governmental, citizens and private agencies converge and participate in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of sustainable environmental projects in cities. CUES collaborates actively with other schools and centres in AUD like the School of Human Ecology, School of Development Studies (SDS), School of Design (SDS), Centre for Community Knowledge (CCK) on areas of common interests. The Centre envisages to build linkages with teaching and research programmes within the University to provide students with hands-on learning, field practicum and engaged scholarship opportunities. The Centre hosts interactions and dialogues between Universities and other organizations in the city across thematics in urban sustainability.
News in Your Inbox
Subscribe to our website to receive updates from our Centre.
Our Blogs
-
After-effects of a Thousand Feet
Vipin Kumar The mineral and nutrient-rich uppermost layer of the earth’s crust that supports almost all lifeforms in the terrestrial environment is known as soil. It is formed by the slow and continuous weathering of rocks by various physical (thunderstorm & cracks by water freeze), chemical (atmospheric chemicals) and biological (plants & microbial growth) factors.…
-
Water is the New Gold
Vijaylakshmi Suman How believable is the claim that World War III will be fought over water? NASA’s satellite data revealed that out of 37 of the earth’s largest aquifers, 21 are recognised as “overstressed”, with almost no scope of natural replenishment. However, these facts may not be hard to believe considering the present drought situation…
-
Health Equity and Sustainable Urban Growth
Vipin Kumar Better livelihood, proper medical facilities, and higher education are responsible for the continuous movement of people from rural to urban areas. Almost 30% of the total Indian population resides in cities (Census 2011) and contributes around 50% of the total GDP. To achieve effective economic development, sustainable utilization of resources is obligatory. Water…
-
Rising Garbage Mounds Galore
Vijaylakshmi Suman How particular are you when it comes to throwing waste in a dustbin and not littering the surroundings? Most of us are very careful about it, and dumping waste at the right place gives us a sense that we have fulfilled our duty by keeping up with the basic etiquettes we learnt in…
-
The Grass is Greener on Every Side
Amit Kaushik Soils are known to have enormous seed banks and there are some long-lived seeds which patiently wait to sprout until the seed dormancy period has passed. However, in an area where wetlands have been drained and cultivated for more than 10-15 years, seeds in the seed bank die and may not be able…
-
Urban Development at the Cost of Rural Exploitation
Vipin Kumar In India, technological advances, improvements in health services, development of better academic institutes, and massive scale of industrialization has caused the en masse movement of people from rural to urban areas. Large-scale urban development through the construction of residential complexes, hospitals, educational institutions, commercial complexes, parking lots, roads, service lanes, parks and gardens,…
-
Role of Citizen Science in Ecological Restoration
Vijaylakshmi Suman The human dimension of ecological restoration, in the form of public awareness, participation, and the incorporation of their values in the project has become an important component of most successful restoration projects. According to Allen (2003), restoration is not only about the science of ecology, rather, it also includes societal decisions on issues…
-
Twinkle, Twinkle City Light: The Effects of Artificial Lighting on Species
By Sonali Chauhan Homo sapiens or humans can be termed as the most adaptable species on the planet. We not only adapt to our immediate environment but also modify it like no other species can. Urban ecosystems or cities are an epitome of the extent we can modify a particular space. Satellite images are an…
-
What Makes Some Birds Urban Exploiters?
By Fizala Tayebulla Keywords: Urban Exploiter, Urbanized Area, Behavior, Trait The growth of urban topography encompasses corresponding shifts of all its associated elements and features – even biodiversity. A question to be asked is, how species characterize themselves within landscapes marked by varying degrees of urbanization? In the subject of Urban Ecology, there are two…
-
Enclosures and Ethics
Ajay Immanuel Gonji Sometime in 2011 was when I purchased my first DSLR camera. I remember how excited I was the day I visited the store to pick up my camera and accessories. Of all the place’s I could’ve gone to click and get a feel of my new camera, the following day I choose…
CUES Restoration Project Site: Dheerpur Wetland, Delhi
Description:
Restoration of Dheerpur Wetlands: A collaboration of CUES, AUD & DDA
The marshes and wetlands of the Yamuna region once extended from Azadpur to the present-day banks of the river. This region has been heavily drained and undergone an extensive land-use change during the last fifty years. Remnants of once widespread historical marshes can now only be seen near Jahangirpuri, Dheerpur and Burari. Since wetlands are increasingly appreciated globally and nationally for their socio-ecological functions and provisions, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) decided to restore the wetlands of Dheerpur.
Fragments of these wetlands have been filled up, dyked, dried and carved out for seasonal agriculture. Hence, it may not be sufficient to only stop their further degradation of wetlands of Dheerpur but would also be necessary to restore them for posterity. With this view, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has entered into a Management Agreement with Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD), in which the land ownership remains with DDA, and AUD would restore the wetlands. DDA would assist in civil work, funding research and restoration work, whereas AUD is entrusted with providing technical guidance for restoration and maintenance of the wetlands.
The Management Agreement for Dheerpur Wetland Project between AUD and DDA was signed on 17 February 2015. Following which the project was formally inaugurated on 19th June 2015.
Click here to read more on the Dheerpur Wetland Restoration
Location:
Dheerpur Wetland Project Site, Gandhi Vihar, Gopalpur Village,
Delhi 110009
Visiting hours:
10am – 5pm
Project Initiated:
Delhi, June 2015
