Auroville Botanical Gardens

Search again Edit this page
India - Tamil Nadu - Auroville

Institution Code: AUROV

BGCI Member: Yes

About the Auroville Botanical Gardens

The Auroville Botanical Garden has been established in response to the disappearing Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest of the Coromandel Coast, south India, and to the global need for the conservation of genetic diversity in the plant kingdom in a wide range of climatic conditions.

The Auroville Botanical Garden was started in August 2000 on 50 acres of old cashew land rescued from the threat of real estate development. The Gardens have seen a remarkable growth since then. The site has been transformed into a luxuriant landscape that serves as an area for research into environmentally sustainable approaches to land management, as well as a location for environmental education. More than 250 tree species have been planted in the 25-acre arboretum, 5,500 specimens have been planted in the 10-acre conservation forest, and a TDEF plant nursery has been created, capable of producing 50,000 seedlings per year to promote the re-introduction of the indigenous flora of the region.

Conservation and preservation of the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest (TDEF) is the Botanical Garden’s special mission. Since Auroville’s inception, teams of green workers involved in the reforestation work of Auroville have been making trips to sacred groves to collect seeds of the native TDEF species. Despite this, a recent survey done by the Botanical Garden has shown that sacred groves are still rapidly shrinking in size. Encroachment is rampant. Fortunately, with Auroville now having all the native TDEF species, seed collection happens within Auroville itself.

Main Address:
Auroville Botanical Gardens
Edayanchavadi Airport Road
Auroville
Tamil Nadu 605 101 India

Telephone: +914132623498
Fax:
URL: http://www.auroville-botanical-gardens.org
Primary Email: botanical@auroville.org.in

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Paul Blanchflower
    Curator's Name: Neil Meikleham
    Plant Records Officer's Name:
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 30
    Educational Staff Number: 4
    Research Staff Number: 4
    Administration Staff Number: 5

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: No
    Status: State: No
    Status: Educational: Yes
    Status: Municipal: No
    Status: Satellite: No
    Status: Trust: Yes
  • Date founded: 2000
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: Yes
    Natural vegetation area: Size: 4 Hectares
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 12 Hectares
  • Total Area: 18 Hectares
    Latitude: 12.0052
    Longitude: 79.8102
    Annual Rainfall: 1200 mm
    Altitude: 50.00 Metres
    Total area of glasshouses: 200 Metres
    Total area of shadehouses: 400 Metres

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Herbarium: Number of Specimens: 14500
    Arboretum: Yes
    Arboretum Size: 10
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: No
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: No
    Friends society: No
    Retail Outlet: Shop: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes
    Disabled access: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 3500
    Number of Volunteers: 25

Plant Collections

  • Cultivation Taxa Num: 1400
  • Invasive Species Monitoring: Yes

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Medicinal Plant Programme: Yes
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: Yes
    Reintroduction Programme: Yes

Research Programmes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: No
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes
    Courses for School Children: Yes
    Courses for University/College Students: No
    Courses for General Public: No
    Education Programme: Yes