The Aravalli Range, one of the world’s oldest fold mountains, extends over 670 km across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. Formed during the Proterozoic era, its terrain of ancient quartzite, schist, and gneiss supports diverse landscapes including rocky outcrops, sandy plains, and forested slopes. Ecologically, the Aravallis are a vital wildlife corridor, home to tropical dry deciduous forests with species like Anogeissus pendula and Boswellia serrata, and fauna such as Indian leopards, Nilgai, and endemic reptiles and birds.

The range provides crucial ecosystem services—groundwater recharge, air purification, soil stabilization, and carbon sequestration—while also supporting agro-pastoral livelihoods and traditional practices like johad-based water harvesting. The forests mitigate urban heat, reduce air pollution, and hold cultural value through sacred groves and longstanding traditions.

However, the Aravalli ecosystem is under severe stress due to unchecked mining, deforestation, urbanization, and unsustainable land use. Expanding cities like Gurgaon, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad have encroached on forested and grazing lands, disrupting hydrological systems and fragmenting habitats. Invasive species like Prosopis juliflora and overgrazing have further degraded the region. Over the past two decades, more than 30% of forest cover in parts of Haryana and Rajasthan has been lost.

Traditional water bodies have silted or disappeared, groundwater levels are depleting, and rainwater harvesting systems are in disrepair. Communities are experiencing rising unemployment, migration, and increased reliance on informal livelihoods. Meanwhile, inadequate and outdated ecological and socio-economic data hampers effective conservation planning.

To restore ecological balance and secure regional sustainability, a comprehensive and integrated baseline assessment is urgently needed. This will support targeted eco-restoration, informed urban planning, and long-term resilience of both human and natural systems in the Aravalli landscape.