Aravalli Landscape Restoration Action Plan 2025

1. The Aravalli Landscape Restoration Workshop was held on 21 May 2025, on the eve of the International Day for Biodiversity 2025.
2. The event took place in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
3. It was organized jointly by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Rajasthan Forest Department.
4. The workshop focused on finalizing a detailed action plan for the ecological revival of the Aravalli range.
    

What was the Purpose of this ?
 

1. Finalization of a Detailed Action Plan for restoration of the Aravalli Hill Range, India’s oldest mountain system
2. To Promote a multi-stakeholder, science-driven, and community-based approach for reviving degraded ecosystems.
3. To Align restoration with the theme of Biodiversity Day 2025: “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”.
    

Vision & Emphasis by Union Minister
 

1. Call for ‘Whole of Government’ and ‘Whole of Society’ Approach:
   1. Collaboration among central/state governments, civil society, academia, and citizens.
   2. Integrating schemes, attitudes, and planning mechanisms for holistic ecological revival.
2. Key Inspiration:
   1. Reference to ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign launched by PM Modi from Delhi Ridge (part of Aravallis) on World Environment Day 2024.

What are the Key Highlights of the Aravalli Restoration Action Plan :

Strategic Pillars (5 Focus Areas)

1. Ecological Restoration
   1. Assisted Natural Regeneration
   2. Native species plantation
   3. Soil and moisture conservation
   4. Removal of invasive species
   5. Replantation with native trees and bamboo
2. Community Participation
   1. Involvement of local communities, particularly women and youth
   2. Eco-clubs, MY Bharat volunteers, and Eco-Task Forces to support restoration
   3. Awareness campaigns and grassroots engagement
3. Policy and Governance
   1. Strengthening regulatory frameworks
   2. Convergence of schemes like MNREGA, CAMPA, Green Credit Programme
   3. Inter-state cooperation (Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat)
   4. Annual review workshops to track progress and share best practices
4. Sustainable Livelihoods
   1. Promoting eco-tourism, nature parks, safaris, and trekking trails
   2. Encouraging agroforestry and non-timber forest produce (NTFP)-based enterprises
   3. Restoration of abandoned mines and their use as water sources and wildlife habitats
5. Research and Innovation
   1. Use of GIS-based mapping, remote sensing, and ecological restoration techniques
   2. Establishing a research and monitoring vertical under NIRANTAR institutions (e.g., BSI, ZSI)
   3. Scientific tracking of biodiversity and habitat change

Initiatives taken to protect Aravallis

1. Aravalli Green Wall Project
2. State Government Measures: 2016 Haryana government notification declared Mangar Bani area (part of Aravalli) a "no-construction zone".
3. MC Mehta v. Union of India Case: In a series of judgments, Supreme Court prohibited and banned mining activities in the entire Aravalli hills.

About Aravalli Green Wall Project

1. The Aravalli Green Wall Project is a large-scale afforestation initiative in India, inspired by Africa's Great Green Wall project
2. It aimed at combating land degradation, desertification, and promoting biodiversity conservation within the Aravalli hill range.
3. It envisions creating a 1,400 km long and 5 km wide green belt across the region, covering parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi.
4. The project seeks to restore degraded land, enhance ecosystem services, and create sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

About the Aravalli Range :

Feature	Description
Age	Among the oldest mountain systems in the world (Proterozoic Era)
Length	Approx. 670 km
Geographic Spread	From Delhi Ridge through Haryana, Rajasthan, to Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Highest Peak	Guru Shikhar, Mount Abu, Rajasthan
Importance	Crucial for biodiversity, groundwater recharge, climate moderation, and soil stability

About International Day for Biodiversity 2025

Aspect	Details
Date	22 May (celebrated annually since 2000)
Established by	United Nations
Purpose	Raise awareness of the value and conservation of global biodiversity
2025 Theme	"Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development"