In this IG Live, I speak to Dr Pallavi Latkar, the technical brains behind the ecological site planning at our project, The House with Three Pavilions . Pallavi is an ecological expert, she is the Founder and Director at GRASSROOTS Research & Consultancy in Mumbai. Over the Live session, Pallavi and I discuss the extensive rain water harvesting system we have created at The House with Three Pavilions. For this site with many contours and topographical variations in Goa, this monsoon ready water management has been a great way of rainwater harvesting and distribution to recharge the underground water table. Over the course of our conversation, we get into the details behind the site planning and construction, discussing the key techniques we have employed. We also speak about the benefits of conserving natural water systems and debunk myths around the maintenance of these systems.

Here are some additional takeaways from the session:

• Every site has a story to tell - the story of its soil, water, and vegetation. Listen to the story - smell, see, touch and feel its elements.

• Our sights have many hidden clues in plain sight - within the trees, plants,and shrubbery. FOr example:

  • A Mango Tree with a dense canopy tells us the site has a good water table.

  • The presence of wild Colocassia indicates the spot where water will stand and collect in the monsoons.

  • Moringa and Neem Trees are native trees that are most beloved by birds.

  • ‘Shankasur’ or Cesalphinia is a favourite haven for bulbuls.

  • Fish-tail Palms will attract Barbets, Coppersmiths, and Hornbills.

• Young architects who do not have access to an environmental consultant can start off by using free and universal tools such as:.

  • Google Earth Imagery from which contour levels of the site can be approximately extracted. 

  • Toposheets of India can be found online - it may require some searching on websites of Landscape Universities worldwide. 

  • Rainfall data and history are available online at various sites including The Meteorological Department website to ascertain the precipitation on your site.

  • The website of The Irrigation Department of India which gives the specifics about soil in every region. 

  • Software like Google SketchUp, Revit and Grasshopper which allow you to geo-locate and model the site and surroundings in 3D which will help you visualize the terrain.  

Goa Map by Sarah Martin

Goa brings to mind images of earthly paradise with its golden coast, tropical greenery, a kaleidoscope like cityscape, and endless cultural experiences of various kinds. The idea of tourism in this state started off with local villagers opening their homes and kitchens, offering to show visitors around.

Goa officially became a state in May 1987. For easy management, it was then divided into two districts - North Goa and South Goa with Panjim and Margao as their respective headquarters. While both North Goa and South Goa embody the unique Goan ‘Sussegado’ spirit and have a plethora of options to choose from, there are some key differences in what they have to offer.

In a nutshell, North Goa has been the main magnet for tourists in the state. That has its positives, as North Goa now offers an amazing range of wonderful restaurants, bars, clubs and shopping boutiques. But some have begun to view North Goa as being a little ‘too-crowded’ and commercial with frequent traffic jams. South Goa on the contrary has retained its slow old Goa vibe. The beaches in South Goa are uncluttered and mostly occupied by high-end starred hotels that maintain them in relative pristine glory. South Goa is dotted with old Portuguese mansions and has fewer new concrete apartment buildings that dot North Goa. South Goa is known for its hidden gems such as the Cabo de Rama fort, Agonda beach and the Olive Ridley hatching sites at Galgibag beach.

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A Comparison of North Goa vs. South Goa

South Goa

The beaches of South Goa on the other hand are quieter with a close connection to nature. Palolem beach, Colva beach, Butterfly beach and Benaulim beach are well known for their scenic views and the pristine surroundings.

Exploring South Goa is largely oriented around experiences in nature with places like Cabo De Gama, Rivona caves, the Rachol Fort as well as its own share of bird and wildlife sanctuaries.

The houses in South Goa speak to a different era and have a certain old world charm. The areas close to Chandor and Loutolim are known for their lavish colonial bungalows built many years ago by the Portuguese nobility. The buildings here are spaced out and far apart, with a focus on stepping out into the quiet of nature undisturbed.

In South Goa, the buzz and activity of a streetside market is found in the town of Margao, in the markets of Colem, Palolem and Caculo as well as along parts of the Colva beach. The town of Arossim in South Goa offers some of the best Goan cuisine and is known for its occasional vintage furniture markets.

The Codigo and Mollem Wildlife Sanctuaries are known for their bird-rich forest and varied flora. Several nesting sites of Olive Ridley marine turtles are also to be found in the region including Galjibag in the far south.

North Goa

Beaches

The beaches of North Goa are generally favoured by short term tourists and water sport enthusiasts.

places of interest

North Goa is home to many captivating churches, the world heritage churches at old Goa, famous forts such as Fort Aguada and Chapora Fort, the Latin Quarter in Panjim, as well as gorgeous wildlife parks and stretches for dolphin spotting.

Cityscape

North Goa is a hub of activity and urban density but it also houses beautiful Portuguese settlements and numerous quaint Portuguese churches that have stood strong for centuries. The Portuguese influence is evident in areas like Fontainhas in Panjim with narrow lanes and bright colors.

Local Markets

North Goa brims with colourful flea markets that sell everything from clothes and accessories to souvenirs, handicrafts, pottery and local products at very low prices. The Saturday Night Market in Arpora, the Anjuna Market on Wednesday, and the Mapusa Market on Friday are visited by both tourists and visitors.

Wildlife

The Salim Ali Sanctuary, near Old Goa, is heaven for ornithologists. Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary are famous reserves in North Goa

At Grounded, our core mission is sustainability and it really breaks our heart when we read stories on the deforestation of the amazon or deforestation in Asia for Palm oil production. Recently, we came across this article on a brilliant organization, Afforestt and its efforts to create urban forests. Afforestt is based in Bangalore, founded by Shubhendu Sharma and has done consulting work in several countries. They follow a method for afforestation pioneered by a Japanese botanist, Dr. Akira Miyawaki. We got so into the idea that we did a bit more research and have put together a short summary of our findings below.

Research done by Maryam Sheikh, Junior Architect at Grounded.

Edited by Roshini Ganesh, Communications at Grounded.

THE MIYAWAKI METHOD OF AFFORESTATION

The Miyawaki method is a global – local practice of afforestation pioneered by a Japanese botanist, Dr Akira Miyawaki. Dedicated to the protection and regeneration of forests, it places emphasis on the value and contribution of native species to the environment as well as the social fabric that thrives around it. It educates us on how real forests are made up of multi-layered native trees, and that such forests stay firm when subjected to natural disasters.

With increased and widespread deforestation and forest wildfires, it becomes paramount that efficient solutions also flood the world. Disasters such as the Australian bushfires and the unprecedented Amazon rainforest fires have jolted the world awake and into action mode. Yet for those who truly care about climate action, we have systems that have long been working towards protecting the environment without the need of an emergency to spring into action.

The Miyawaki method makes strides by enabling the creation of micro, mini and mega forests using the same core principles. It gives us layered and more variegated habitats that are dependent on local flora and fauna. It is important to note that it is this consideration of native species that sets this method apart, and not the way of placement. 

The following are the steps to realize this ingenious method:

1. First, the soil is prepared by adding a combination of materials that allow for perforation and water retention. Naturally available resources such as rice husk, wheat husk, peanut shells, and corn cobs perforate the soil and make room for the plant roots to grow quickly. Water retainers like coco peat and sugarcane stalk increase the soil’s water retention capacity. To complete the preparation, nourishing mixtures like manure and vermicompost are added to the composition to create a nutrient rich environment for the saplings.

2. Next, the land is surveyed to identify native species that are best suited for plantation together. Not everything that grows in a space belongs there - it is therefore important to look through the historical records of that region in order to understand what is really native. The local plant species are categorized into 4 layers:

   1. Shrubs – those that grow up to 6 feet (1.8m)

   2. Sub-trees – that grow up to 25 feet (7.6m)

   3. Trees – that grow up to 40 feet (12 m)

   4. Canopy trees – that grow above 40 feet

The saplings are introduced at a stage when they have grown to a height of 24-32 inches (0.6-0.8m) above the ground.

3. The design and arrangement of the forest belt is the next step. The more staggered the species are, the better it is for the forest. These various indigenous trees are planted close to each other with an average of 3-5 saplings accommodated in every square meter. Contrary to most myths, the saplings will not fight for nutrition, but learn to survive in a co-dependent manner. The plants work in harmony to create strong root networks underground that allow them to interact with each other and share nutrition between species. This also reduces the depletion of soil nutrition, and erosion over time.

4. Once the saplings are planted, the soil needs to be layered with a thick layer of mulch that acts as a soil insulator to ensure the moisture within remains intact and does not evaporate. To safeguard the upcoming forest saplings against weeds, the land requires maintenance for the first 2 years, after which the mantra becomes– “No management is the best management”.

The density of these tight-as-a-fist forests creates a diverse natural habitat above ground that invites varied biodiversity over time. It also creates a steady nexus of root clusters below ground that stay strong and hold ground when faced with natural calamities like storms, floods, tsunamis as well as man-made adversities like deforestation.

The Miyawaki method was first brought to India in 2009 and has been adopted by Afforest – a social enterprise founded by a humble engineer and environment saviour, Shubendu Sharma.

His sincere effort to spread the technique has already touched ground in 50 cities across the globe empowering people with information on how to grow a forest, starting with their own backyards. His studies illustrate the exponential benefits of growing a multi-layered forest vs a monoculture forest to create a habitat that is 100 times more bio diverse, is 100% natural, allows for 30 times more groundwater recharge and soil conservation, among many others.

Many homegrown organisations like Afforest, Thuvakkam (Chennai), and SayTrees (Bengaluru) use the Miyawaki method in afforestation throughout India. Afforest has planted 4.5 lakhs trees across their 108 projects; ninety of these sites are located in India. Say Trees engages with citizens and corporates, and has helped plant 70,000 trees in Bengaluru from 2008.

Adjacent to the Manyata Tech Park, five mini forests have been planted by a team of 15 citizens, spread across 7850 sq m. All of these have been created by the residents of Manyata Residency nearby in close collaboration with Say Trees.

Other organisations such as the Sugi Project take the concept of re-wilding urban land door to door and empower everyday citizens to invest in nature and restore biodiversity. Their ongoing project at Maruvan with Afforest takes the Miyawaki idea many steps forward, envisioning a nursery, a tree seed bank, and a forest on presently arid desert terrain. These forests create a natural native green lung, bring alive degraded land, offset the carbon footprint, and build community.

Afforestation through the Miyawaki method enlivens the land as well as the very idea of plantation. It arms us with the ability to make the dream of living near a forest, a reality – provided we create one. It gives us the opportunity to take responsibility for better natural systems, to create space for biodiversity, and to create hope.