A ‘Letter to Nature’ in Chennai

Nature breathes life into our cities. As part of a new campaign to highlight the importance of urban nature to our everyday lives, C40 has invited mayors, artists, cultural influencers and other thought leaders from cities around the world to write a ‘Letter to Nature’.

Read what Supriya Sahu, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forests, Govt. of Tamil Nadu has to say about nature in Chennai.

“Chennai is blessed with an abundance of ecological spaces such as parks, gardens, lakes, beaches, and large university campuses. Some of the important ecological spaces in Chennai include Marina beach, Tholkappia Poonga (restored in order to protect Adyar Estuary), Chetpet Eco-Park, Muttukadu Lake, and Guindy National Park (Chennai is one of the few cities in India with a National Park inside the city limits). The citizens of Chennai absolutely love and adore their open spaces. An evening stroll along Marina beach will give one a true flavour of the city and its cultural ethos.

Over the years, with the increased incidents of urban flooding, we have focused on protecting our lakes and natural water systems. Some of the recent examples of lake rejuvenation include Sembakkam and Madambakkam Lake rejuvenation, serving the city in reviving green-blue spaces, increasing groundwater table, and protecting the city from urban flooding (as water bodies act as soak areas).

As a resident of Chennai, I am proud of the rich biodiversity the city has and urge my fellow citizens to engage in protecting and conserving these spaces.”