Bio-aesthetic Planning
Authors: Prativa Anand, Babita Singh and S.S. Sindhu
Division of Floriculture and Landscaping
ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012

The term "bio-aesthetic planning", given by Prof. Lancelot Hogben, refers to the conscious planning of the flora and the fauna with the objective of beautifying our surroundings or country. In India, the theme of bio-aesthetic planning was propagated by Dr. M.S. Randhawa who gave a practical shape to it in planning Chandigarh along with the famous architect Le Corbusier, and his associates, Pierre Jeanneret, E. Maxwell Fry and Jane B. Drew. The term bio-aesthetic planning embraces both the science of animal and plants and is recognized as the planned ecology of living organisms from the artistic and aesthetic point of view. The aim behind this concept is to plant ornamental flowering trees along with roads, in parks, house compounds, public places, and also to develop national parks where non-carnivorous animals and beautiful birds will find sanctuary along with the beautiful flora. This includes all aspects of landscape gardening in the wider sense.

Bio-aesthetic planning can play important role in environmental amelioration of urban and industrial areas along with their beautification. With the greater realization of environmental, ecological and socio-economic benefits of plants, scope of Bio-aesthetic planning has increased further. It is only with a touch of bio-aesthetic planning that the countryside and other places will look not only natural but pleasing too to the eye. The bio-aesthetic planner is the key player whose canvas is the entire country and whose pigments are the beautiful landscape plants. In bio-aesthetic planning, the ecological adaptation of the plats should be given due importance. Bio-aesthetic planning should run hand-in-hand with town planning. Bio-aesthetic plans should be drawn as a part of the master plans to realize its full potential. People’s participation through Park Management Committees, Kitchen Garden Societies, Eco-clubs etc. is very essential at all the stages, from planning to management, for making the country beautiful as a whole.

Benefits of Bio-aesthetic Planning

Bio-aesthetic planning not only beautifies the environment but also makes it more livable and ecologically stable. It improves microclimate, mitigates pollution, helps in noise abatement, creates habitat for many animal species, adds variety of form, colour and texture to the environment and brings about positive changes in human behaviour.

Areas for Bio-aesthetic Planning

Public places which belong to the community as a whole, rather than to individuals, should be given priority in bio-aesthetic planning. Thus, a large section of the society, specially those who are unable to afford private home gardens of their own will be able to enjoy the scenic beauty of plants and flowers. Different areas for bio-aesthetic planning in towns and countryside are mentioned below:

• Public parks and gardens.
• Public places such as hospitals, banks, courts, post offices, university campuses, schools, colleges, dak bungalows, etc.
• National, state, district, block and village roads.
• Airports, railway tracks, bus stands, bus terminals, railway stations, railway junctions, highways and canal banks.
• Religious places such as temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras, etc.
• Village panchayat ghars, community lands, chaupals, etc.
• Burning ghats, cemeteries, etc.
• Private hotels, shopping complexes, private residential colonies, etc.
• Individual home gardens.



About Author / Additional Info:
Working as Scientist, Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, ICAR