Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, spreads over 72 hectares, near the historic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. The park contains ecologically restored desert and arid land vegetation.[1][2] The park was created in 2006 to try and restore the natural ecology of a large, rocky area adjoining and below the fort. It was opened to the public in February 2011. The area in and around the park contains distinctive volcanic rock and sandstone formations. The park includes a Visitors Centre with Interpretation Gallery, a native plant nursery, small shop and cafe. There are four trails (yellow, green, red, and blue trails), about 880 m to 1115 m long, that visitors can take and trained guides and naturalists are also available.
Jodhpur Welded Tuff here has been declared the National Geological Monuments of India by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), for their protection, maintenance, promotion and enhancement of geotourism.[3][4][5] The volcanic rocks at Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park were formed somewhere between 745 and 680 million years ago. The volcanic formations are chiefly rhyolite, with welded tuff, and breccia found in some areas. There is a gully passing through the park (an old aqueduct or canal to carry rainwater from a wider catchment in the north to Padamsar lake at the base of the fort), where breccia is visible today. Also seen are rocks with large to intermediate crystal sizes and from fine textured tuff to large-grained (porphyritic) rhyolite.[6]
Plain Tiger butterfly in Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
Common Babbler on the rocks
Indian Cormorant at lake in Jaswant Thada
Great Egret in lake at Jaswant Thada
Grey Francolin amidst rocks and desert vegetation
White-eared Bulbul on Fleuggea leucopyrus
Five-striped or northern palm squirrel in Rao Jodha
Restoration
The Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park has attempted both architectural and ecological restoration. The Visitors Centre is housed in Singhoria Pol, a 17th-century gateway into Jodpur city, which had fallen into ruins and disrepair. The gateway was restored and the Visitors Centre, completed in February 2011, has an Interpretation Gallery about the desert, plants, and history, integrated into the passages and rooms over and around the gate. The historic city wall that had crumbled in places was also restored, which assisted in protecting the area from grazing livestock during ecological restoration.
Ecological restoration was carried out to remove invasive alien plants and bring back the original desert and arid land vegetation of the region. The park area was earlier overrun by Prosopis juliflora (local name baavlia), an invasive, thorny shrub introduced from Central America almost a century ago. The Prosopis juliflora was carefully removed from the volcanic rocks with the help of local Khandwaliya people, expert in rock chiseling. The park now has around 250 species of native plants. A small 'xeriscape' or 'Xeri garden' at the Visitor's Centre has been created to display a range of xeric and rocky microhabitats, each with several characteristic native plant species. The restoration or rewilding project has been spearheaded by Pradip Krishen, a filmmaker who renounced filmmaking due to corruption in the Industry.[citation needed] Mr. Krishen turned to gardening and environmental conservation, serving in this way to rejuvenate the deteriorating Indian landscape and its people.[1][9]
Native Plants Nursery
The park has a native plants nursery where native rock-loving and arid region plants are propagated from seeds and cuttings. The nursery is located near the 'piao' or public drinking water station on the way down from the fort. The seedlings raised here are planted out for ecological restoration of the park area each year around the monsoon. Over 80 native plant species have been raised and planted out in the park.
Entrance to the Native Plants Nursery, Rao Jodha Desert ROck Park
View of native plants nursery at Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
Seedlings being raised in polybags under shade
Larger native plant seedlings stacked in the nursery
References
^ ab"Reclaiming the desert". The Hindu. 30 July 2014. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^. news.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^National Geological Monument, from Geological Survey of India website
^"Geo-Heritage Sites". pib.nic.in. Press Information Bureau. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
jodha, desert, rock, park, spreads, over, hectares, near, historic, mehrangarh, fort, jodhpur, rajasthan, india, park, contains, ecologically, restored, desert, arid, land, vegetation, park, created, 2006, restore, natural, ecology, large, rocky, area, adjoini. Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park spreads over 72 hectares near the historic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur Rajasthan India The park contains ecologically restored desert and arid land vegetation 1 2 The park was created in 2006 to try and restore the natural ecology of a large rocky area adjoining and below the fort It was opened to the public in February 2011 The area in and around the park contains distinctive volcanic rock and sandstone formations The park includes a Visitors Centre with Interpretation Gallery a native plant nursery small shop and cafe There are four trails yellow green red and blue trails about 880 m to 1115 m long that visitors can take and trained guides and naturalists are also available Rao Jodha Desert Rock ParkMehrangarh Fort above Rao Jodha Desert Rock ParkTypeNatural AreaLocationJodhpur RajasthanNearest cityJodhpurCoordinates26 18 17 N 73 01 01 E 26 304611 N 73 016853 E 26 304611 73 016853 Coordinates 26 18 17 N 73 01 01 E 26 304611 N 73 016853 E 26 304611 73 016853Area70 hectaresCreated2006 2006 Operated byMehrangarh Museum TrustVisitors 919571271000Open7 00am 6 30pm in summer 8 00am 5 30pm in winter StatusOpen Contents 1 Jodhpur Welded Tuff national geological monument 2 Plant and animal life 3 Restoration 4 Native Plants Nursery 5 ReferencesJodhpur Welded Tuff national geological monument EditJodhpur Welded Tuff here has been declared the National Geological Monuments of India by the Geological Survey of India GSI for their protection maintenance promotion and enhancement of geotourism 3 4 5 The volcanic rocks at Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park were formed somewhere between 745 and 680 million years ago The volcanic formations are chiefly rhyolite with welded tuff and breccia found in some areas There is a gully passing through the park an old aqueduct or canal to carry rainwater from a wider catchment in the north to Padamsar lake at the base of the fort where breccia is visible today Also seen are rocks with large to intermediate crystal sizes and from fine textured tuff to large grained porphyritic rhyolite 6 Plant and animal life EditThe park has around 250 species of native plants including a large number of arid region lithophytes Some of the common plants 7 include trees such as Rohido Tecomella undulata Kumatiyo Acacia senegal Hingoto Balanites roxburghii Peeloo Salvadora persica Kharo Jaal Salvadora oleoides Sargooro Moringa concanensis Goondi Cordia sinensis and Bordi Ziziphus nummularia Among shrubs the leafless spurge or Thhor Euphorbia caducifolia is one of the common succulents Other shrubs include Bui Aerva javanica Aakado Calotropis procera Kair Capparis decidua Ghatbor Fleuggia leucopyrus Kheer Kheemp Sarcostemma acidum Kheemp Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Googal Commiphora wightii Sarcostemma acidum flowering Common banded awl butterfly on Sarcostemma acidum flowers Euphorbia caducifolia growing in rocky area Euphorbia caducifolia close up Red vented Bulbul on fruiting Fleuggia leucopyrus Indian crested porcupine Rao Jodha Jodhpur Rajasthan Female Indian Golden OrioleThe park has several reptile species and over 200 species of birds and is an eBird hotspot 8 Mammals include free ranging dogs Indian crested porcupine and northern or five striped palm squirrel Plain Tiger butterfly in Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park Common Babbler on the rocks Indian Cormorant at lake in Jaswant Thada Great Egret in lake at Jaswant Thada Grey Francolin amidst rocks and desert vegetation White eared Bulbul on Fleuggea leucopyrus Five striped or northern palm squirrel in Rao JodhaRestoration EditThe Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park has attempted both architectural and ecological restoration The Visitors Centre is housed in Singhoria Pol a 17th century gateway into Jodpur city which had fallen into ruins and disrepair The gateway was restored and the Visitors Centre completed in February 2011 has an Interpretation Gallery about the desert plants and history integrated into the passages and rooms over and around the gate The historic city wall that had crumbled in places was also restored which assisted in protecting the area from grazing livestock during ecological restoration Ecological restoration was carried out to remove invasive alien plants and bring back the original desert and arid land vegetation of the region The park area was earlier overrun by Prosopis juliflora local name baavlia an invasive thorny shrub introduced from Central America almost a century ago The Prosopis juliflora was carefully removed from the volcanic rocks with the help of local Khandwaliya people expert in rock chiseling The park now has around 250 species of native plants A small xeriscape or Xeri garden at the Visitor s Centre has been created to display a range of xeric and rocky microhabitats each with several characteristic native plant species The restoration or rewilding project has been spearheaded by Pradip Krishen a filmmaker who renounced filmmaking due to corruption in the Industry citation needed Mr Krishen turned to gardening and environmental conservation serving in this way to rejuvenate the deteriorating Indian landscape and its people 1 9 Native Plants Nursery EditThe park has a native plants nursery where native rock loving and arid region plants are propagated from seeds and cuttings The nursery is located near the piao or public drinking water station on the way down from the fort The seedlings raised here are planted out for ecological restoration of the park area each year around the monsoon Over 80 native plant species have been raised and planted out in the park Entrance to the Native Plants Nursery Rao Jodha Desert ROck Park View of native plants nursery at Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park Seedlings being raised in polybags under shade Larger native plant seedlings stacked in the nurseryReferences Edit a b Reclaiming the desert The Hindu 30 July 2014 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 4 September 2016 Rao Jodhpur desert rock park Xinhua English news cn news xinhuanet com Archived from the original on 31 October 2013 Retrieved 4 September 2016 National Geological Monument from Geological Survey of India website Geo Heritage Sites pib nic in Press Information Bureau 9 March 2016 Retrieved 15 September 2018 national geo heritage of India INTACH Wilson Jonathan J 2014 Rocks about the different kinds of rock inside Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park Jodhpur Mehrangarh Museum Trust 36 pages Krishen Pradip 2011 Plant Guide to Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park Jodhpur Mehrangarh Museum Trust pp 31 pages ISBN 978 81 910471 3 4 ebird eBird Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park Jodhpur eBird Retrieved 4 September 2016 Sonia Faleiro Dhruv Malhotra The Fall and Rise of a Modern Maharaja Retrieved 4 September 2016 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park National Geological Monuments in India Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park amp oldid 1098117576, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
