Ecological Restoration of Lakes needs to be looked at from 3 different levels of Planning and Design Solutions
1. Ecological Landscape Planning – ensures a regional level action in terms of protecting natural processes and features such as drainage channels, groundwater recharge zones, soil structure, flora and fauna. The Planning measures can guide the surrounding region’s development for effective protection of the lake. Further, it can enhance the urban linkages and networks to have a symbiotic relationship between the city and nature.
2. Ecological Restoration of Edges – is a strong and effective measure towards restoration of the lake itself. Lakes interact with their surrounding areas, which could be natural or Urban and such interactions may either enhance or deteriorate the condition of Lakes depending upon the nature of these surrounding landscapes. Ecological planning for the edges would ensure the suitable approach for each edge depending upon the neighboring zone. This may include conservation approaches for natural edges, interactive approaches to maintain ecological continuity, protective measures to prevent urban encroachments or intrusion and creating ecoforums allowing symbiotic relationship between the City and the Lake.
Mosaic of Ecological Patches are found in all healthy ecosystems. Which would mean that within a Lake ecosystem there could be several smaller patches, and thus more edges to deal with. Some of these edges (such as islands, marshes etc) might require active landscape interventions for arriving at a sustainable ecosystem.
3. Lake’s Urban Interface – must carefully be located at suitable edges of the Lake system, so that it would not affect sensitive natural areas and their continuity. Many Lakes in Urban areas have been threatened by encroachment and intrusion, which ultimately result in degraded ecosystems. The challenge is to provide a controlled interface, which would enhance the Lake’s ecosystems while creating sense of ownership in the citizens, which is the most effective protection for an Urban Lake System.
Landscape Solutions for Urban interactive edges may vary from passive and visual associations to active and physical connections. Depending on the sensitivity of the ecosystem, the solutions can include Pathways and pause points at the edges of the lake, more active public parks can buffer it from the city’s pollution, wooded nature parks can be set up in large open tracts near the lake, interactive edges like boating and fishing can be thought of for selective areas and so on. Solutions for creating Urban interface must not become a priority over Lake’s ecological conservation measures.
