Adding more essence to the nature trail at Singanallur lake, stone paintings and sculptures depicting the biodiversity of the water body and Tamil Nadu have been installed along its tank bund.
Stone sculptures of reptiles such as green chameleon, garden lizard are catchy to the eyes. Paintings on stone slabs erected along the nature trail depict the flora and fauna of the state as well species that is part of the lake’s ecosystem.
Commissioner of the Coimbatore Corporation K. Vijayakarthikeyan opened the beautified nature trail on Wednesday in the presence of District Forest Officer D. Venkatesh and director of Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History K. Sankar.
As of now, the nature trail for 500 metre has been beautified with the stone paintings and sculptures. Soon, theme based stone paintings and sculptures will be erected along the 4 km bund around the lake.
The lake was declared as Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone by the Coimbatore Corporation in July 2016. Volunteers of Centre for Urban Biodiversity Conservation and Education, a group involved in conservation activities at the water body, has been playing a major role in conserving the biodiversity of the lake.
Around 750 species of aquatic creatures, birds, plants, reptiles, rodents, and mammals were recorded in and around the Singanallur lake. This included 170 species of birds, 400 species of plants and 70 species of butterflies.
In September, a team of experts had started an exploratory study to document birds, plants, insects, reptiles and aquatic species that are home to the lake.
At present, students of Corporation schools in the city are taken for nature trail along the lake bund three days in a week. Soon the nature trail will be open for public on first and third Sundays every month. Around 30 persons who register first will be taken for the trail which will start at 8 a.m. A nature educator will accompany the visitors.