Location: Turahalli Tree Park, Bangalore
Date: Nov 12, 2021
To get there: Take the Kanakapura main road. About 6km from Sarakki Signal, you will pass DMart on your left. Take the next right towards Turahalli forest. Turn left opposite Sobha Forest Edge apartments.
Trail type: Broad paved and unpaved paths. It also has extensive narrow trails for exploring the park boundaries.
Facilities: Parking. Benches to sit and relax. Forest officials are present sometimes. Toilet facility has been built but was closed when we went. Gazebo and large viewpoint with plenty of seating to relax.
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| Rugged trails |
This park exists adjacent to the larger Turahalli Forest for public access and enjoyment. The forest and the park are divided by a 100 ft road. The forest itself has been closed off to public access for a few years to protect the flora and fauna from human disturbance. So, the Turahalli tree park is the alternative to experience a bit of the forest ambiance. I say it is compromised because there is much pressure to turn into a normal park solely for the entertainment of us humans than ensuring the well-being of the creatures and plants which inhabit it. For example, a children's play area has come up now. Many statues have been installed, presumably to share nature information with the public, like Tiger, Pangolin. Though the intent is commendable, I feel they don't belong if the idea is to keep the park as natural as possible. Shouldn't information posters be sufficient? But then that's just me and in the minority on this, I am sure.
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| View point in middle of park |
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| Wide paths |
Anyway, back to our visit and I hope yours too sometime soon. Even though this park is very close to our place, we had never gone there mostly because Turahalli Forest was a better option for bird watching. When the forest was close to public, we decided to do a bird walk here with little expectations. About 4 of us managed to make time in the morning and we were at the main gate around 7.30am. A wide path greeted us as soon as we entered the park through the side gate. We chose to take a narrower more natural path by turning right after the gate. Vegetation was quite wild and thick here. We continued until we hit the park bounday near the road and then did a counter clockwise walk along the edge of the park on narrow natural trials. At some points we came inwards a bit to check out the Gazebo and the view points.
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| Forest patches |
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| View from gazebo |
Overall the park has been maintained well with some healthy undisturbed vegetation in several patches. Most paths are narrow and natural with the exception of some near the gate which are wide with skirtings. An ill adviced childrens play area has come up now. Hopefully it is the first and last! as it does not support the concept of a tree park and will only disturb the wildlife there. Also, my personal opinion is that children should attempt to learn about nature in these types of parks and not to play on man mande structures. We also had a decent birding experience with Small Minivet, Gray-breasted Prinia, Black-shouldered Kite being highlights among others.
Click this link for a complete checklist with the images on Ebird.  |
| City enveloping the park |
In spite of some drawbacks, I feel this park is a good step towards creating family and public friendly nature parks which lets the average person experience nature easily. Hope the Karnataka Forest Department, maintians it well and does not succumb to construction pressure and build unnecessary structures that does not fit into a Nature Park. It also relieves pressure on the Turahalli Forest, only true foreast patch within city limits, to be opened up for public.
Enjoy your visit!
