Bengaluru: City of Water
In this talk, ecologist Harini Nagendra took the audience on a journey through the history of water systems in Bengaluru - starting from the 6th century CE to the present day. She explained how lakes were built and how they became an important source of water for the city. Today they are used solely for recreation, environmental support and ornamental views. She argued that urbanization and water conservation can go together and that we need to look at our history to manage our future.
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About the Ecologist
Harini Nagendra is a Professor of Sustainability at Azim Premji University, where she anchors the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability. Over the past 20 years, her research has examined people-nature relationships in forests and cities from the perspective of both ecology and equity. For her interdisciplinary research and practice, she has received a number of awards including the 2009 Cozzarelli Prize from the US National Academy of Sciences, the 2013 Elinor Ostrom Senior Scholar award, and the 2017 Clarivate Web of Science award. Her publications include the books “Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future” (Oxford University Press, 2016) and “Cities and Canopies: The Tree Book of Indian Cities” (Penguin, 2019) as well as recent publications in Nature, Nature Sustainability, and Science. She writes regularly on public science issues in newspapers, blogs and other fora.
Connected Exhibits and Programmes
Munsell Richter by Jenifer Wightman - an exhibit turning mud samples from Bengaluru’s lakes into art
Water Walk by Biome Environmental Trust - a guided walk exploring Ulsoor lake and Bengaluru’s water systems