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.
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Our Blogs
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Can you tell…?
By Vijaylakshmi Suman It is almost two months since NGT imposed complete prohibition on the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags, to be specific those whose thickness is which are less than 50 microns. The effect of ban is being followed by almost all established shops. Nonetheless, I have witnessed small vendors still continuing to sell…
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Where are the fish ladders in our dams?
Fizala Tayebulla Migration in fish population is a common phenomenon among several species for different purposes in their life cycle. Popularly talked about migratory fish species in India are Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha), Pangas (Pangasius pangasius), Anguillid eels (Anguilla bengalensis, A. bicolor) as well as the Indian major carps (Catla, Rohu and Mrigal), because of their…
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Urbanization: Fate of Ecosystem and Native Flora
Vipin Kumar Urban development for the provisioning of shelter to the ever-increasing population transforms agricultural land into concrete jungles, and forests into agricultural land, thereby causing habitat degradation and fragmentation. This increases the extinction rate of wild flora and fauna several folds. This geographical landscape disturbance also results in nutrient cycle disturbance and accumulation of…
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Urbanization: Fate of Ecosystem and Native Flora?
By Vipin Kumar Urban development for the provisioning of shelter to the ever increasing population transforms agricultural land into concrete jungles, and forests into agricultural land, thereby causing habitat degradation and fragmentation. This increases the extinction rate of wild flora and fauna several folds. This geographical landscape disturbance also results in nutrient cycle disturbance and…
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Going, going, gone: Deepor Beel
By Fizala Tayebulla Deepor Beel (‘Beel’ meaning a lake-like wetland with static water in Assamese) is an emblematic wetland found within Burma Monsoon Forest biogeographic region (Saikia et al, 2014). Declared in 2002, Deepor Beel is the only Ramsar site in Assam and is a permanent fresh water lake. It is an oxbow lake located…
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Two Sides of Flood
Vijaylakshmi It is season of monsoon 2017! You can’t miss this information as few of our friends never fail to update us by expressing their immense love for rain and raindrops on social media. Some adore it, some detest it (specially those who are they stuck in traffic for hours). Amongst many other discussions revolving…
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Situating Nilgai in Delhi
Amit Kaushik Culling wildlife in contested spaces has been a new form of land acquisition in human-wildlife co-habitants. In India, after the incorporation of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, hunting was banned, and several wildlife types were listed under several categories. This gave them legal protection to wildlife based on their status. Several species like mice, house crows, fruit-bats, termites, etc.…
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Threatened Wetland Ecology: Impact of Over-fertilization and Non-point Sources
Vipin Kumar Wetlands are highly productive, water-saturated areas having life adapted under these conditions. Swamps, marshes, estuaries, and bogs are all examples of wetlands. They act as a sponge to control flood, recharge groundwater and filter nutrients. They also offer habitats to different native flora and fauna, and breeding spaces to migratory birds. In addition…
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Threatened wetland ecology: impact of over fertilization and non-point sources
By Vipin Kumar Wetlands are highly productive, water saturated areas having life adapted under these conditions. Swamps, marshes, estuaries, and bogs are all examples of wetlands. They act as a sponge to control flood, recharge groundwater and filter nutrients. They also offer habitats to different native flora and fauna, and breeding spaces to migratory birds. In…
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Nature in a Dynamic World
Ajay Immanuel Gonji Cities represent unique landscapes experiencing rapid and continuous transformation. Cities also represent the most domesticated landscapes on earth (Kareiva et. al., 2007) where every element of the environment has been tailored to suit man’s desires. As a matter of fact, many scientists have said that we now live in the era of…
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
Centre for Urban Ecology and Sustainability 