Restoring fragmented ecologies: reimagining Pallikaranai marshland

A total of 165 water bodies including 31 lakes and 134 tanks have disappeared so far from the Pallikaranai catchment area, according to a report by Uvakai Research Foundation, an NGO, on Saturday. Using historical revenue records from 1905 to the 1980s, satellite data, and Google Earth images, the study found that only 452 water bodies remain while 165 water bodies, including Velachery tank and Taramani lake, listed in the revenue records have been lost, resulting in a loss of 7.35 sq.km of wate

The edge conditions around Pallikaranai Marshland vary across the site and reflect the complex relationship between ecological systems and urban development. In several areas, the marsh edge is defined by compounded walls belonging to institutional campuses, IT developments, and private properties, creating hard boundaries that disconnect the marshland from its surrounding landscape. In other areas, natural vegetation buffers continue to exist along the marsh edge, forming softer ecological tran

Over the years, the land use pattern of the marshland has shifted significantly from a largely continuous wetland system to a fragmented urban landscape. Earlier periods were dominated by open marsh and natural drainage channels, but gradual introduction of infrastructure, institutional uses, and waste disposal began altering the land character. In recent decades, rapid expansion of residential areas, IT corridors, and transport networks has led to a substantial reduction of wetland cover