Pallikaranai Marsh Ecopark

Pallikaranai Marsh Ecopark is a visitor facility within the Pallikaranai Marsh in southern Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The marsh is one of Chennai's last remaining natural wetlands and was declared a Reserve Forest in 2007 and designated a Ramsar site in 2022. The ecopark features a wooden boardwalk and watchtower that allow visitors to observe wetland habitat, migratory birds and native flora without disturbing the ecosystem.

Visitors can expect a low-impact wetland experience centered on a wooden boardwalk extending into the marsh and an elevated watchtower for birdwatching and photography. The setting is open marshland with reeds, water pools and grassland. Visitors can observe resident and migratory birds, butterflies and wetland vegetation, read interpretive information boards, and walk the designated trail. The area is quiet and natural, with no boating or intensive recreational facilities.

Pallikaranai Marsh is one of the last remaining natural wetlands of Chennai, with a history as a vast floodplain and water catchment. Large parts were notified as Reserve Forest in 2007 under the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to protect it from encroachment and dumping. In 2022, the Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest was designated as a Ramsar site, recognizing its international importance as a wetland ecosystem.